Twenty Turns of Time
by red-painted-rose
Summary: Even when the war is done and Voldemort is gone, Hermione takes it upon herself to turn back the ever-ticking clocks of time and stop evil from surviving past Halloween 1981. Certainly a challenge but thorough, tactical and resourceful are all her middle names. Eventual HG/SB.
1. where it all begins

A story arc that is probably one of the most revisited in the world of fan fiction. Lucky for me (or unlucky for me) but I'm going to try and make it differently. I hope you enjoy the first chapter, short as it is.

rating is to change later on in the story.

please follow, fave and tell me what you think.

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TWENTY TURNS

chapter one : where it all begins

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Hermione Granger was incredibly different to most people she knew. For starters, she was the only child of two very ordinary dentist parents, who lived in the lovely and affluent London District of Hammersmith.

Second was the fact that she was the mixed race daughter of her Angolan mother, born and bred in the antithesis of posh, rich, snobby Hammersmith; rather the more intriguing and artistic burrows of Ladbroke Grove, home to Notting Hill Carnival and the birthplace of London's diversity. Whilst Hermione's mother was every drop British, her mother's parents were less so: holding in their hands the fascinating power of being two nationalities. Angolan and British. Hermione's mother was black, African, a West Ender and during her youth, an eager float goer during carnival.

Hermione's father however was English, having family roots tied to this country from hundreds of years ago. The country was engrained in his blood, not necessarily similarly to the way it was in her mother's. Her father was white, and certainly not the reason for her bushy hair, though definitely the genes behind her brooding eyebrows. Her father did not leave such a strong imprint on Hermione's genes, but left such a strong impression on her mind and the way she talked. she liked to think that she was an intriguing mix of both her parents.

Next was something much more strange. Hermione's parents were the most Muggle parents anyone could come across. Their idea of a wonderful evening was less Quidditch matches and more Shakespearean plays in Shakespeare's Globe. They preferred documentaries and books on The Wonders of Wisdom Teeth as opposed to articles and dissertations about The Mysticism of Mermaids. Perhaps that was why when Hermione had been a young little girl and only just starting to get to grips with her abilities, she felt like a disruption to her parents and their ordinary lives. But perhaps that was why her parents loved her so much. She wasn't boring, certainly spiced up their pristine, perfect dentistry centred lives.

And lastly, perhaps what was most important, was that the concept of Giving Up was as foreign to Hermione as thinner, much straight hair. She recognised that the Great War was over. Voldemort was dead, they had won. But they hadn't...not really. The Weasley had been torn apart, Harry had been torn apart and most worryingly, the world was not recovering as quickly as she had hoped.

It had been two years and not a day went by that she wasn't planning and plotting and scheming and dreaming up solutions. There was only one that she was finding herself constantly coming back to:

Time travel. To risk everything that they had won for a more victorious ending? Wasn't that just greed? They had defeated Voldemort, surely that had been enough.

All it had taken was the lives of thousands; Muggles and Magic lives alike. Hogwarts was not the same. Hermione knew that she had to try.

She was sat in her bedroom with two years worth of writings, plans, graphs, instructions, a manual on how to keep intruders out of her mind (like Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore) and also…a personal biography of everyone she needed to get to know on the Halloween of 1980. She would stay in the past for just a year, more than enough time to change the course of history.

So Harry had a real family for the first time. So Ron and other friends wouldn't lose so many loved ones.

Maybe, just maybe, to give her a reason to live again.

Hermione clapped her hands together when she appraised the mountainous collection of notes and maps, all the information that hadn't readily been available in her mind having been weasled out of a very unsuspecting Harry. She had been reshuffling and ordering her notes for four days now, filling in all the blanks with a few scant paragraphs on areas that were hazy to her. Like the whereabouts of all of the horcruxes Lord Voldemort had created.

She would merely need the help of a couple of Marauders, two members of the Hogwarts Staff and a brilliant backstory that wouldn't jeopardise her future. Hermione forced her thick bushy hair into a long plait that fell down her back before she quadruple checked the order of the notes, ensuring that the dates corresponded to the folders she separated them into.

She would be leaving tomorrow, taking her Portuguese back story with her. A generic one for any person with two ethnicities; that her mother was born in Portugal, daughter to magical Angolan diaspora, where she had met the wizarding English love of her life whilst volunteering at an event. Three months later and the pregnant Mrs had moved to London with the Mr to start a new life.

Somewhere in the distance the doorbell rang and Hermione eased off the bed she was sitting cross legged on. She crept over to the window but could not see anyone.

She worried her bottom lip and felt her cheeks turn a rosy hue. Hermione moved from the window and sat back on her bed. She couldn't let paranoia get the better of her. No one knew that she was about to embark on such an endeavour.

Very slowly, she picked up the labels and began scrawling titles on them to mark the folders for their different contents; some with harmless biographies and others with the dangerous knowledge of how to carefully cast into existence and control the furiosity of Fiendfyre. If that failed to work then it was simply a matter of getting to the Basilisk deep in Hogwarts chambers and stealing a couple of its fangs.

Suddenly, she remembered her coffee and when she turned to face it, was saddened to realise it had gotten cold whilst she had been freaking out about the chronology of the horcrux notes. She hated warming up coffee with magic, it didn't taste quite the same.

Hermione heard more doorbell but wasn't entirely sure if it was really a bell ringing, or the frenzied demise of her mental health. Her anxiety was through the roof. She bit her lip and finished scrawling out titles as quick as she could.

Anxiety could wait until she was successfully in the past.

 **oOo**

The Time Turner was a strange contraption. It essentially provides a paradoxical solution so mad that to embark on a time turning quest rarely allowed for such frugal time schedules and assumptions. Hermione hardly knew anyone she would be going back to.

She knew she would encounter things that she had not prepared for, thus why she was bringing a flagon of Polyjuice Potion with her.

Hermione knew she would achieve what she hoped if only she kept a level head. And if she got one particularly mischievous man on her side. After all, his family had closer ties to Voldemort than any other.

She had not planned to say goodbye to Harry, Ron, Luna, to any of her friends for fear that she may let slip what her plans were. If not that then let slip a few tears, surely. She was terrified that she may never be able to return if anyone whom she didn't plan on letting know her true identity did indeed find out.

With a years worth of supplies in her magically enchanted briefcase,Hermione read over her inventory once more- checking and checking and checking and-

 _Done._

It was all done now. Wrapped around her throat was a long golden chain with a severely manipulated Time Turner attached. Each turn was a year and she planned to return to Halloween of 1980. Twenty years from now, which was more than enough time for her to make the change that would save her friend's parents and uncles.

Another thorough sweep of the house (Hermione could be the definition of thorough) she decided at last that it was time for her to turn back time.

Hermione shrugged on her thick grey trench coat and then looked in the mirror directly opposite her. She appraised her wild bushy dark hair, her brown skin that was paler than usual; the white shock would stain her cheeks in a couple hours surely. Hermione bit her full bottom lip and then lifted her weightless briefcase.

Twenty turns and she was gone with a flash.


	2. the golden arms

i hope everyone reading has enjoyed so far it's really refreshing to be able to introduce a different version of Hermione that we only ever got to experience in the cursed child.

please tell me what you think!

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TWENTY TURNS

chapter two : the golden arms

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Hermione landed in a clumsy heap on the cold frosty ground. She spat out the lock of hair that had ended up in her mouth and heaved herself up, the weightless brown briefcase lifeless on the ground beside her. She swooped down to pick it up and with another huff, appraised her surroundings.

She was outside, approximately a five minute walk from Camden Town station, where, according to the housing research she conducted in preparation for her arrival to 1980, there would be a flat that she could rent for the duration of her stay.

The block of flats, called Camden Vale, was dirt cheap and in a perfect location, residing at the end of Bayham Street. On the other end of Bayham Street was of course another, similarly run down block of flats, home to the reason Hermione had chosen Camden to live in: Mr Sirius O Black. She hadn't been surprised upon embarking on her character biographies to find out that Sirius Black had lived in Camden. The pictures of him growing up had been testament to the edgy, punk lifestyle he thrived in.

Hermione entered the building and looked around the shabby lobby. There were names scrawled on an assortment of letter boxes, save a few missing names and padlocks. She decided on one of the free flats on the top floor and slipped through the door to the stairwell. She would have to remember to contact the landlord/landlady, cast a strong Confundus and implant some fabricated memories into their mind.

When Hermione reached the top floor, she was shocked to hear screaming from two people, maybe more. Her ears tuned in. Definitely a couple. Dulcet, lower tones mixed with high screams and she winced. She heard the female shout several colourful profanities at the man.

Shaking her head, Hermione's eyes narrowed in to Door 21. She cast a quick look around before flicking her wand and throwing the door open.

The flat smelt of stale food and had moth balls and dust floating in the air. There was a thick layer of dust coating most of the surfaces of an otherwise tiny apartment. A quick look around told her of only three rooms, the kitchen/lounge/dining room, the bathroom and a tiny bedroom that was mostly occupied by a square bed. The flat would suffice. Hermione knew that she would spend the majority of her time here finding answers and carrying out her plans to bring about Voldemort's demise much quicker.

With a sweep of her wand, Hermione's briefcase sprung open and hundreds of objects started pouring out. Picture frames fitted themselves onto the walls, pillows lined the sofa, bed clothes slid themselves around the bed and duvet: cups, mugs, saucers, knives, spatulas, every single thing that was needed to make the flat look as lived in as possible. Her clothes and shoes filled the tiny wardrobe and when they soon began spilling out, a little charm made it so that there was ample space for her thirteen pairs of jeans and other garments.

Hermione found herself ten minutes later casting spells on the walls to change the colours and even dress up a little in wallpaper. The kitchen was a lovely deep green that she believed highlighted the sometimes dormant green hues in her eyes.

Maybe the sometimes present green was another physical link to her father that rarely surfaced. Just when Hermione had started to fix herself a cup of coffee, white Americano to be precise, she heard a knocking on the front door.

She looked down to appraise what she had changed into just a quarter of an hour before. Her nightgown was long and tied tightly around her midriff. Certainly presentable enough, she concluded with a confident nod of her head.

Hermione peaked through the peep hole and then furrowed her brows. It was a man, maybe a couple of years older than her, with pink spiky hair and barely any clothing on considering the weather. Just a vest and a pair of tiny little shorts. She slipped her wand in her pocket, tossed back her hair and arched a delicate eyebrow as she slowly opened the front door.

Hermione looked up into the man's face. He grinned at the sight of her.

'Sorry to bother you,' he told her in a very cockney accent. 'Jus' saw that this flat is occupied and I ain't never seen it as such me 'ole time livin' 'ere.'

He extended a large hand. 'Name's Stevie, live at the Grand 19, right there,' he pointed to a door behind him. 'I 'ave done for a year now.' The man's blue eyes dipped to the little bit of her collarbone that was on show. 'Never seen no one in 'ere.'

Hermione took his hand. 'It's nice to meet you Stevie. I'm Hermione.'

A wider, more brilliant grin danced across his mouth and she saw that one of his incisors was chipped. 'Lovely name that is. What 'choo doing round 'ere?'

'I've moved here from Ladbroke Grove, not more than three hours ago.'

The man's smile grew even wider. 'Ah yeah? That's real cool. Lots of Caribbean folk in West London.'

Her lips quirked and she rose her eyebrow that had fallen in relaxation. 'I'm actually half Angolan, not West Indian in the slightest.' When she saw the blank look on his face, Hermione said in a slower voice, 'That's in the south of Africa.'

'Oh right, yeah, rung a bell. What, so your dad from there too then?'

She shook her head, tempted to say that both her parents were both from over here but then decided otherwise. She only had so much energy. 'My dad's from here. English to the bone.'

'So you're a halfer?'

'I prefer the term mixed race.'

He immediately raised his hands in apology and offered a rather cute smile. 'Didn't mean to offend.' His eyes quickly did another appreciative once over before he took a step forward. 'Happy Halloween. Got any plans for tonight?'

Hermione nodded. 'It was actually what I was preparing for before you knocked.' She waved a hand at herself so as to emphasise the pink night gown she was wearing. 'A Halloween Party.' Only it wasn't a Halloween party, just a pub down the road that she knew Sirius Black would be at tonight. According to her notes and the SIRIUS BLACK TIMELINE she had made, she knew that he would be in the Golden Arms for several hours tonight, already probably at the Potters where he was no doubt playing around with a baby Harry. Hermione wondered how small he would be, only a few months old, hardly big enough to hold his head up surely. Then again, Hermione's experience with babies was incredibly limited.

Stevie pursed his lips and then nodded. He stared down at Hermione with intense eyes before a playful sparkle tinted them. 'Alright, well I'll let you get back to preparin'. Just out of curiosity what is it you're going as?'

She smiled at him with hooded eyes that showed no humour. 'A witch.'

The door closed softly.

Her eyes flicked to the clock hanging just above the door. She would leave in an hour and needed to make sure she looked as stunning as possible, a feat that would be easily achieved with some Sleek-Eazy, dark red lipstick and a very figure hugging dress. After all, what would get Sirius Black's attention better than a pretty lady? Hermione knew how fickle young men could be. She had experienced enough of it with Ron during their short run.

Precisely an hour later, Hermione was washed and dressed and made up. She appraised her face in the mirror and her lips quirked into a tiny smile when she realised that the golden glow to her cheeks made her seem even more enigmatic and radiant. She wanted to be sure that Sirius Black would notice her. That was the first stage of the plan, next of course would be to seduce him back to hers for a sobering conversation, the introduction of some images and surprise facts that only someone who knew him would know. Then of course he would be on her side.

The dress she wore was a long, shimmering red one, with the purpose of making Hermione's tiny bust seem bigger, to accentuate the wide curve of her hips and her small waist.

Doing a mental as well as physical sweep of the flat, Hermione was satisfied and disapparated with a loud crack. She appeared in a relatively empty alleyway, the lone figure off at the other end with their back to her. She dusted her dress off, having left without a jacket before she made her way through the alley, where the Golden Arms would be located on the left.

Hermione was cunning to the bone and each part of her image played a vital role; she did not forget to bring a jacket, she purposefully _left_ it.

The pub was bustling with many dressed-up Muggles who were far too inebriated, so when Hermione stepped inside the crowded room, she was confronted with drunken dancing and singing (shouting) of one of the most iconic rock anthems. She broke into a wide smile and clapped her hands together when the pub erupted into louder singing. _Oh, of course, this is just what I imagined it would be like, bloody Queen._

'…Mama, life had just begun, but now I've gone and thrown it all away…'

She managed to slip between thriving figures to finally get to the bar, where she managed to snag a seat near the centre. Slowly and thoroughly, her dark brown eyes swept the pub. Hermione noticed that the majority of people had gone to great lengths to dress up for the holiday. She saw many Muggles dressed as witches, wizards, werewolves, scary zombie looking things… pretty much all the magical beings out there, except of course _zombies,_ not magical at all. There was a tall man dressed like a fairy with a very cool afro. She grinned when he winked at her through hooded eyes. Hermione continued to analyse the large group of men dressed head to toe in what was surely a burning suit, one for example dressed like a fish. _A bloody fish._ Hermione failed to see the scary quality in that.

She was finding it very entertaining when her eyes skimmed over some mermaids jumping up and down whilst crying out Freddie Mercury like their lives depended on it. Sitting at some tables were people in the process of drinking more alcohol or sharing cigarettes and snacks. One such table caught her eye instantly. Maybe it caught her eye because she could feel, burning the side of her face, a pair of scorching grey eyes …they were boring into her. Hermione's eyes were torturously slow in finding the other person's. First she processed one blond haired man, then another with dark hair and spectacles, the third with a mousy mop, all a second from knocking back their shots.

Hermione looked into the dark, smouldering grey eyes of Sirius Black. The answering smile was barely a quirk of lips at first but when she looked at him, really looked at him, his mouth transformed into a dazzling grin. Sirius Black tipped his head in her direction and knocked back his shot. When had it gotten so hot? Right, Hermione thought, scorching eyes and pouty lips.

Hermione looked back at him a few seconds later and he was still grinning.

'Can I get you anything ma'am?' A bartender's voice snuck into her ears but she couldn't process anything other than her complete and utter shock and glee. It had been so much easier than she ever thought it would be. They were _here_.

 **oOo**

The three of them were only waiting for Wormtail to show up so they could get changed and go already. He wasn't meant to come for another half an hour though, having just recently started a job at the Ministry of Magic. It was a pity really, that after so long looking for a job, he had finally found one that stripped him of all his free time.

Peter had been unable to make it to Harry's first Halloween. Not his fault of course, but then again, if Sirius had been in Peter's position, he would have either called in sick or bunked and consequently begged Dumbledore to protect him from Moody's wrath. Neither would work but that would not have stopped him. Sirius was sitting on the floor, letting a tiny little baby lie on his belly and tug his hair.

'…still expect Crouch to have a go at passing it though. Didn't you hear what Moody was saying the other day in Kingsley's house? Crouch is getting more and more legislative power to pass these kinds of laws.' Lily Evans said slowly from somewhere above Sirius's head.

He only deigned to lie on the floor because Lily and James's tiny sofa only allowed a maximum of three to be seated and whilst they were wizards/witches, and could very easily lengthen the sofa, Lily was particular about her furniture. PERISH THE THOUGHT that it was stuck such a way. And so, with only one seat up for grabs, well of course it was Moony that beat him to it.

Sirius cupped the back of Harry's head as the child did a wiggle on his chest. The baby boy was dressed in the cutest little pumpkin costume in the whole wide world. Sirius had scoured much of Oxford Street looking for it, having in his mind the best Halloween planned for his favourite person in the whole world. At least Harry stuck by him and kept him company on the lonely floor. Not like selfish Moony, Prongs and Lily. Him and his godson had been eating lots of mango and watermelon only ten minutes ago, but when the boy had started throwing tiny bits at his godfather, the fruit had been confiscated and Moony had to de-fruit Sirius's precious black locks.

'The Minister is only looking for one thing right now,' Remus said eventually. He threw a piece of Pumpkin and Cinnamon Honeydukes Finest high into the air and caught it between pearly white teeth.

'Yeah,' murmured Sirius, 'to try and make it seem like she is doing the utmost to deter the growing support for Voldy.' Sirius's arm snaked around Harry to cradle his small form whilst he sat up. 'Honeydukes please Moons.'

Remus threw it high into the air and just as he had successfully done, his friend caught the chocolate between his teeth. Harry let out a cry of pure mirth and grabbed a fistful of his godfather's hair, tugging it in a show of appreciation perhaps.

'Ow pup, don't know what you have against the hair.'

Harry tugged harder and Sirius glared at him. 'We really need to get him out of his anti-hair mindset Lily. Not good for the pair of us.'

She laughed and reached over to ruffle her son's own bird's nest. 'We certainly do Padfoot. In answer to what you said though, I completely agree. I really do think that a lot of Crouch's actions are encouraged by this hardline approach the Minister is taking. The fact that Unforgivables might end up being an authorised method of interrogation is absurd. Your father predicted something like this happening James.'

Sirius looked up from Harry to his father, splitting images of one another. 'Yeah he did. Can't believe I was so against the idea that Crouch might ever try to get something like this passed but maybe he really is taking the philosophy of "by any means necessary" a little too seriously.'

'What is absurder still is the fact that as Aurors who prosecute and punish people for casting any of the Unforgivable Curses, we might end up having the jurisdiction to use them and commit such crimes. What makes us different from those that we are fighting against?' when Sirius finished speaking, he godson began pulling his hair again. Did he think it was a way of getting Sirius's attention? He would have to stop the behaviour, maybe not looking down into Harry's emerald eyes every time he did it would be a good place to start. He could not reward this sort of behaviour.

Remus cleared his throat and in usual Remus brilliance, put on the perfect expression to accompany his fantastic impression of Crouch. 'Actually Mr Black, it depends entirely on the intention.'

The room broke out into another round of laughter. Harry began pulling on Sirius's hair again. The long haired man put all of his brain power into resisting the urge to look down at Harry's (Lily's) eyes. He could not let the boy win. If he gave Harry the satisfaction, how would he ever put an end to the systematic scalp abuse that he was forced to endure.

'I hope Moody does something to stop the bill being passed. Imagine him having to deal with being told that his Aurors now have to use Unforgivables on known Death Eaters and sympathisers…?'

All of a sudden, Sirius's hair was being pulled from both directions. Harry had two bloody fists full of hair. Sirius looked down in alarm and then cringed when Harry's face split into an open mouthed giggle. Dammit. The boy had won.

'Merlin's balls Lily, this boy is a nightmare,' Sirius howled as he began tickling Harry silly. The baby started letting out peals of laughter, tears appearing as if by magic in his wide eyes. His mouth was wide open in a toothless grin with a little too much dribble being expelled.

Lily was standing up, crouched over for a brief kiss with James. 'I'm going to take him to bed now. He's been up far too long.' Sirius lifted the boy over his head to give to his mother. 'Alright then. You sure you don't want to come to the pub with us? Best Muggle pub around.'

She smiled and shook her head, quickly depositing a kiss on Remus's head first, then coming around for him. 'I'm exhausted. Just don't be noisy when you return my husband in a drunken heap to my front door. Goodnight boys and stay safe.'

'Goodnight Lily.' They choruses. She left the room and closed the door behind her only to open it straight after. 'Peter is here. Goodnight!' She was gone.

'I'll go let Wormy in.'

Arriving to the Golden Arms was relatively straightforward. It was down the road from Sirius's rundown Camden flat. Perfect spot to meet loads of new birds and get to flirt a bit. What wasn't straightforward was the band of Marauders having to get changed into their costumes and put make up on. Sirius, for example, was going as a vampire. He needed highlighter and eyeliner to make him seem as vamp-like as possible but Lily was great at doing his makeup. She always added nice touches like mascara. Remus, the funny man, was trying to be ironic and was dressed as a terrifying werewolf. He even had a complete werewolf costume, the joker. James had let his wife dress him as a clown and finally, Peter was dressed as a ghost; incredibly convincing one too As soon as they stepped inside, Sirius shouted at the top of his lungs, 'First round on me! Whiskey for all?'

'Rum for me,' Remus said with a wink as he made his way to the dance floor in hopes of enjoying the last minute of Black Sabbath. The other two joined him and Sirius went to the bar to order them drinks. He did a quick sweep of the pub and noticed that only one or two girls caught his eye, but they seemed very much engaged with the men they were with. A shame … he had really hoped for a distraction tonight.

Three rounds later, three double whiskeys later and Sirius was well and truly sloshed. Him and Remus were passionately dancing to Queen. The pub had gotten even more packed and Sirius looked around whilst his body moved to the music that had settled around him and inside him. He closed his eyes and shouted the lyrics as loud as he could. Muggles were so much fun.

'Pads,' Remus grabbed his arm and began pulling his staggering form through the crowd, towards where the other two Marauders were stood at a table. Between them, four shot glasses of a dark brown. More whiskey!

James and Peter also looked quite worse for wear but Remus … he always managed to stay relatively level-headed, definitely if he was keeping up with the others and drinking what they were. Rubbish drinkers he called them. Sirius just knew Remus secretly practised how not to throw up. His eyes wandered the room dazedly; eyes never settling on a particular person for long. Until they reached the bar and his mouth twisted up into an instinctive smile.

 _Yes_.

Stunning. Gorgeous. Red. Sirius's eyes raked over the girl's body, over her sparkling brown shoulder and long neck. Her thick curly hair fell down her back and fanned out behind her, creating a brilliant effect. He felt himself lift up his shot of whiskey and subconsciously licked his lips. If only she would turn to face him so he could see _those_ lips.

Sirius was sometimes so lucky. She looked at him and seemed to startle a little at the intensity of his gaze.

The long haired man saw in the corner of his eyes the other Marauders throw back their shots and grunt a little. He didn't want to break eye contact with her though. The brown eyes were too hypnotising. Sirius's eyes dropped to her lips and he felt a grin cover his face. Red lipstick, only his favourite.

He tossed his head back and finished the double shot in one gulp. Her eyes wavered for a moment before they reconnected with his.

Then she looked away again and this time, began a conversation with the bartender.

'Where are you going?' James grasped his arm when Sirius made a move to stumble away from the table and towards the girl.

'To her.'

He continued on his mission.


	3. piña coladas and double whiskeys

this story is starting to get a lot more interesting now. please leave a review and tell me what you think! also want to know the take on Sirius so far. thank you and enjoy

red rose xx

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TWENTY TURNS

chapter three : piña coladas and double whiskeys

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'That will be ,' the bartender shouted over the music, '£1.50,' he then presented her with a lovely piña colada, just her favourite drink ever maybe. Hermione smiled at him and opened the small purse hanging around her waist, when a body slumped into the seat beside her.

A clandestine smile flickered across her face for just the briefest of moments.

She resisted the urge to turn and face the man who she hadn't seen in years. That was until he spoke in a low, dulcet tone. One that nearly made her break out into a wide grin; his voice wasn't strained from thirteen years of screaming. It was ripe with tender youth and a great deal of happiness.

She saw his hand slide over to place a fiver pound note in front of the bartender. 'Can I get another double whiskey on the rocks and whatever the pretty lady has just gotten...'

When the bartender reached over to take it, Hermione shook her head and turned to face the pure blooded man. 'No thanks. This pretty lady can pay for her own drink.'

Sirius Black was very handsome. She had always known that about him, even when he returned from Azkaban and cleaned up, he had been rather enjoyable to look at, especially considering how fickle young crushes were she had quite a big one on him. Now however, Sirius Black was an entirely different person. Just the vibe he exuded; much less troubled, broken soil and more infectious-grin and dimpled cheeks.

He was a very tall man with a slender build, though compared to the Sirius she knew, a great deal more toned and less half-starved. He had pale skin that was flawless: unblemished, unscarred, a few rosy hues bursting upon noticing her inspection of him. He had a very nice mouth too, pink lips and lovely straight pearls of teeth. What Hermione found herself getting lost inside however, were his eyes, which had not left her face on their own thorough inspection.

Were they embodiments of a storm? Or perhaps a clash of light and dark, in an extraordinary mesh of emotion and mischief…

Sirius looked at her carefully through hooded eyes lined with a thick fringe of lashes before his mouth quirked to show some amusement. 'How about you pay for the second round?'

'How about you pay for the second round?' She pulled out a crinkled five pound note from her purse and pushed it into the bartender's hand. 'Double whiskey right?'

'That's the one.' Sirius made no move to retrieve his money, only his glass when the drink was placed before him. The whole time he had not moved even one eye from her. 'Thank you.'

'It's no bother,' Hermione said softly. She placed the change back in her purse and then turned so she was facing Sirius properly. Hermione continued on her inspection of the lovely looking man.

'So what's your name? I need to put it in my personal diary. Here is the first girl to have ever bought me a drink at a pub. Considering how often I frequent places like this, it's a surprise it didn't happen sooner. Halloween is very strange. Happy Halloween from me and the pub.'

drunk babble was always so hilarious

She smiled at him and lifted her drink to take a sip. Hermione almost groaned; she really did love piña coladas so much! 'You make it sound like you live here.'

'Well I pretty much did. I was working here part time up until a couple of years ago with my best mate Remus over there. It's the reason I moved to Camden.'

She quirked an eyebrow and said with a giggle, 'You tell me your friend's name but not your own?'

'Only if you go first.'

'I bought the drinks so I chose who goes first. What is your name, sacred pub straggler?'

He threw back his head and let out a hearty laugh. Hermione had forgotten just how handsome he was. The pictures she had seen of him in Grimmauld Place had faded from her memory.

'My name is Sirius Black.' He held out a hand and when she took his for a shake, he kissed hers. Such a charmer.

'Serious like the adjective? Or Sirius like the star?'

He quirked a nicely shaped brow at her and nodded. 'Second one. And your name?' He released her hand.

'Hermione.'

He laughed and knocked back the remaining three quarters of his drink, smacking his lips together as his eyes watered a little. 'Of course. Beautiful name for a beautiful girl.'

She took another gulp of her drink. 'Oh yeah?'

'Definitely,' he said confidently. 'I have quite a bit of experience with beautiful things. Also your hair. It's too _wild_ to belong to someone so ordinary and boring.'

She let out a peal of laughter and was sorely tempted to tell him that it really wasn't the case, especially when she had been young and had wished vehemently for straight, tamer hair.

'I could say the same to you. Very interesting hair. Quite Ozzy Ozbourne, I reckon.' She sipped her drink again. 'By the way … I think there's a little bit of mango in your hair.'

Sirius's expression sobered up instantly and he scowled some colourful profanities, ending the curses with "bloody werewolf" under his breath.

'Here,' she said, moving his hair to the side so she could pluck a chunk of juicy mango from his hair. 'Why have you got mango in your hair?'

Sirius was staring at her a little curiously but Hermione decided to peg it on his increasing drunkenness as well as his annoyance, surely, at a bloody werewolf. 'I was with my godson earlier. I trusted him to sensibly eat some mango and watermelon with me but he got bored half way through the bowl and decided to practise his throwing. The three month old menace has a mean over arm throw. My friend said he got all of it but clearly not.'

'The werewolf?'

'What?' then Sirius's eyes calmed instantly when he remembered that his friend was dressed as a werewolf. 'Oh yeah. Him. He can be such a tosser sometimes,' Sirius said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder in an inaccurate attempt to point at his friends.

'So what's your godson called?'

Sirius's mouth split open and he smiled at her. 'Harry. He's only a few months, so I fully blame his parents for the anti social behaviour.' Sirius waved over the bartender. 'Actually, it's his first Halloween so I expect he was a little overexcited. I got him the cutest pumpkin costume as well … maybe that gave him a bit of a power trip.'

She started giggling as she imagined a baby Harry throwing fistfuls of fruit at his godfather. It was an image that spawned pleasant balls of joy inside her.

'You have so much hair, I wouldn't be surprised if the werewolf didn't notice.'

Sirius shook his head, turning away from her for the first time since he sat down. 'No, Moo-Remus would have noticed. He was fiddling about with my hair for quite a while. Also there is the fact that he notices everything.' He quickly flashed her a smirk, then he said to the bartender, 'Can I get two double whiskeys?'

'What,' Hermione said in alarm. 'I haven't even finished my first drink.'

'Don't worry,' Sirius told her with a wink, 'we have all the time in the world.' He put a cigarette in his mouth and offered her one but she shook her head. Maybe he thought she didn't notice but Hermione saw the flame just above his thumb a milisecond before he shielded his hand and cigarette and lit it with a cloud of smoke. She grinned so hard her jaw hurt but Hermione, filled with little bubbles of mirth, both from the piña colada and Sirius's company, failed to be surprised by his sloppiness. He was already _very very very_ drunk.

'So where do you live?' he asked her out of curiosity. 'Or are you here visiting any friends or family?'

Hermione shook her head of long bushy curls. 'Not visiting anyone. I recently moved to Camden Vale down the road.'

'Merlin, I live at the other end of the street from you!' He seemed ecstatic about this and had once more turned his body to face her completely. 'Camden Lock Court, another block of flats, opposite the cinema and a couple of convenience stores, with the entrance to the canal on the side. This is bloody destiny!'

Her eyes sparkled whilst she drained the rest of her cocktail and wiped the corner of her mouth on a napkin. Rum and coconut and pineapple made the most heavenly mix!

Her empty cocktail glass was moved and in its place came the double shot of whiskey. 'I think you need to be on the same level of inebriation as me,' Sirius said softly. 'Especially now that I know we're neighbours.'

'Barely,' she replied dryly as their eyes met again. She could not quite figure out if there was a bit of blue in the mix of swirling grey. She would have to make a closer inspection when it wasn't so weird.

Sirius rolled his eyes playfully and reached for his drink. Hermione was surprised he could coordinate his hand so well, considering that he had a stupid grin on his face which appeared to be all-consuming.

'You really live at Camden Vale? That's so mental. I live so close by and would never have met your lovely self if not for Halloween. Did I wish you a Happy Halloween?'

Hermione's hooded eyes, darkened by the consumption of alcohol, softened. 'You did, thank you. And same to you.'

Sirius flicked some hair behind his shoulder and then turned a smouldering gaze on to her. 'Can you tell what I am?'

'Hmmm,' she murmured, pretending to analyse what she already knew. 'Slicked back hair, lack of facial hair, eyeliner and mascara … hmmm, I think the black cape says it all.'

'Oh yeah?'

'Mr Vampire.'

He chuckled in response and then nudged her glass with his own. 'Cheers to that.' They both sipped and quickly, their eyes found one another again. Hermione was sure her plan was working. She could sense that his flirting had reached a whole different level now. His chair was suddenly so much closer and the smell of his cologne was intoxicating. Spicy. Musk.

'What about me then?'

The man seemed to put in a lot of effort into trying to work out what she was. A smile threatened the corners of his mouth as he gave her a scorching once-over; eyes cascading in a meandering journey over her wild hair, sparkling dark eyes, her glowing skin and full red lips, then the taunting collarbone and the red dress that hugged her so intimately. When his eyes met hers once more, they were black with desire.

'So I am tempted to guess whether you are either a goddess or a human, because we humans are terrifying sometimes.'

She grinned widely at him. 'Wrong answer Mr Black. I'm a witch. Also clandestine compliments get you no extra points.'

'I really did guess that you're a goddess. You're bloody gorgeous.'

Hermione wasn't necessarily surprised; after all, a man like Sirius would only naturally be so confident as to lay it on so thick for girls. When you looked like him, everything was so easy and that unfortunately meant that he was so insufferably arrogant in his flirting that she felt her belly doing somersaults.

Had it been so long that a handsome man's attention caused her cheeks to flame. She hoped her cheeks weren't flaming.

Maybe it was the drink?

From the way the man seated opposite her was looking, it seemed that he could definitely see her flaming cheeks.

Still, it was easier to blame the drink. So she very happily did; alcohol always did get her blood pumping. Most importantly though, Hermione was not so used to compliments. It made her feel a little awkward. Should she thank the compliment-giver, or perhaps just bat the words away and disregard them? Maybe she should have laughed. Instead though, she pretended that she had not heard it and took another sip before making cringing when more of the drink slid down her throat than she wanted.

'Drink up, this is my favourite song,' Sirius told her. He lifted his glass of whiskey for a toast then raised an eyebrow when she hesitated. 'Or can't you keep up?'

The taunt had worked. Hermione lifted her glass and met his half way before throwing back the rest of the drink. She barely had time to shiver when Sirius pulled her up and took her hand, steering her to the dance floor where the Marauders were screaming the lyrics to Thin Lizzy's oh-so-famous _Dancing in the Moonlight_ , bloody fantastic tune.

The five of them jumped around and screamed the words as loud as they could, alongside half the pub.

 _Should have took that last bus home, But I asked you for a dance, Now we go steady to the pictures, I always get chocolate stains on my pants..._

Hermione looked around in wonder as she sung; completely at peace with the fact that the 1980s in London had been such a fantastic era. What was more brilliant, still, was perhaps the Halloween spirit in the air that warmed her up from the inside. She hadn't been formally introduced to the other three Marauders but they were already acting as though they were her life long friends. Remus even took her hands and drunkenly swung her around as he cried along with most of the pub 'dancing in the moonlight, it's got me in a spotlight, it's alright, I'm alright'. Hermione reckoned that this was the happiest she had been in a while.

'Another drink?' Lips were at her ear but she controlled the urge to shiver.

'Go on then,' she bellowed back.

'I'll help you carry it,' she heard Remus shouting back at Sirius, their heads huddled together to make themselves heard. She knew she was drunk and should therefore not be surprised in the slightest that she failed to analyse Remus's face properly but from what she could see, he looked very much the same. His skin was a lot more rosy and smooth, no visible scars to give indication for the physical abuse the wolf put him through. All round though, he just seemed much younger and much happier.

It must have been a couple of hours later of nonstop dancing and nonstop shot drinking where Hermione learnt a few things. The Marauders were great dancers, Sirius and Remus especially. Next, Hermione decided that they had the most fantastic facial expressions whilst they sung along heartily to each and every song. Somehow, she guessed that this was a regular haunt of theirs.

Hermione was well and truly in her cups by the time she told herself that it was time to get Sirius Black on board. She would worry about Remus Lupin after, as he would be more challenging and yet much more mild-tempered and easy-going. She expected to see Sirius blow up in anger. Maybe not even tonight but at some point in the foreseeable future.

'I think I'm gonna get going,' she said in Sirius's ear as Madonna's chilling vocals died out.

Sirius, who had tied his hair back sometime ago, turned to face her so fast the wild raven locks exploded out of their elastic shackle. The pink hairband disappeared in the thick throng of writhing bodies.

'What?' Sirius sounded so sad to hear this and she had to fight to not grin triumphantly in front of him.

'Yeah, I'm a little tired. I've had a great time though.'

'Let's just go outside so I can hear you speak properly,' he told her. Sirius offered her a hand and she took it, eyes flicking up to meet his when he tangled his long fingers around hers. He led the way and with his tall frame, managed to part the sea of ghosts and witches for her to slip through.

The air was freezing cold when she got outside. Hermione knew what chivalrous men were like though and she knew that as soon as Sirius saw her shiver, he would jump to her rescue.

'You're not gonna stay for the end? It's only going to continue for another couple hours.' He had pulled out a cigarette and quickly borrowed a lighter from someone standing nearby who, as well, was smoking.

Hermione shook her head, a tumble of thick curls falling to cover some of her chest and arms. She shivered and looked up at Sirius. 'I'm feeling a little tired. Also very drunk so I think that means I should head home. I've had a lovely time with your friends.'

'My friends?' Sirius deadpanned. He blew out a cloud of smoke in her face but she batted it away. 'What about me?'

Hermione saw the flickering pout on his face and grinned widely.

'I've had an even lovelier time with you.' Hermione shivered again, much more noticeably this time.

'Shit, where are my manners.' He pulled off his cape and draped it around her much smaller, shorter form. Hermione's eyes met his and she maintained his stare, refusing to let the colour staining her cheeks throw her off. _He really is so gorgeous!_

'Even lovelier than with those drunk toss pots? That's hardly a compliment.'

Hermione smiled. 'I'm going to let you get back to those toss pots.'

'I'll at least walk you home.'

'I feel like I have bothered you enough for a lifetime.'

'Rubbish,' he scoffed with a shake of his heavy head of hair. 'Besides, you're no bother. You also live around the corner and you've got my favourite cape out of all my millions…'

She giggled. 'I knew it. You were hardly being selfless.'

Sirius offered her a handsome pout and an arm. she took it, letting him lead the short walk to her new home.

'So, have you always lived in North London?' she asked.

'No. I grew up in Grimmauld Place, an area in Westminster with huge big houses and huge big snobs.'

She chuckled. 'Oh yeah?'

'Yeah, I'll tell you a little secret if you promise that you won't tell anyone?' when she nodded eagerly, he leant in close to whisper, 'My parents are the worst of the huge big snobs. I couldn't stand it at home so I left when I was sixteen.'

'That's so young!' She cried vehemently.

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly but barely a second later, the grip on her arm tightened.

'Where did you go?'

'James Potter, mate who was dressed as a clown. I moved in with him. His parents are lovely people and they took me in with open arms. James is the father of Harry.'

'The Mango Missile Launcher?'

Sirius threw his head back and laughed, nodding his head and giggling whilst he replied, 'Don't you forget it! He was the one with glasses and hair like a mop.'

'What about the werewolf?'

'That's Remus. The best guy to dance with ...to get drunk with too. You never have to babysit him. Jamie and Pete on the other hand … like babies when they drink.'

They arrived at the block of flats and Hermione unlocked the front door with a tap of her wand, neatly concealed under the cape. 'I live down there,' Sirius told her as they entered the lobby. He made his way towards the lift but she shook her head at him.

'Broken.'

'Of course,' he laughed. 'Mine's been out of order since before I moved in.'

He followed her up the stairs and though she could feel his eyes burning her, Hermione put all of her energy into keeping upright and not falling down the stairs, probably knocking him down with her in the process. She quickly waved her wand and the front door to her flat opened, where she switched on the lights.

She turned to ask Sirius what he would want when she noticed that he had not entered after her. She raised an eyebrow in question.

'Are you not coming in?'

He hesitated. 'If you want me to.'

'I want you to.' Hermione mumbled under her breath. 'I have tea, coffee, I might still have a bottle of red wine if you wanted a last hurrah before we say goodbye for the night.'

Sirius stepped into the flat and closed the door behind him. 'Coffee please.'

Hermione shrugged off the cape and put it on a peg before she beckoned for Sirius to follow her into the kitchen/lounge. 'How do you take it?' She asked him.

'Black, no sugar. If you have honey, a little of that please?'

'Sorry but no honey.'

'Then just black please.'

Hermione's lips quirked into a smile. 'Because of your name?'

'I don't like milk in anything but hot chocolates.'

'A hot chocolate would be perfect right now,' she turned the kettle on and gestured for him to take a seat at the kitchen table.

'So what about you? Where are you from?' Sirius's eyes followed her every movement as she put a little coffee into each mug and filled it to the brim with hot water. She deposited one in front of Sirius and then placed the other in front of her seat. Hermione sat down slowly and pondered over her words for quite a while that Sirius almost asked again, afraid that she had missed him. But she spoke just a moment before he would have, in a voice much huskier and lower than a minute before.

'Would you like the truth Sirius ... or an elaborately spun tale of how I am a Muggle from West London?'

'FUCK!' Sirius burnt himself with some spilt coffee but he barely even paid attention to his hand. His eyes were so big and wide, boring into Hermione that she shivered from something entirely different to cold.

'A Muggle,' whispered Sirius.

'I told you I was a witch.'

There was no humour in Sirius's face. He almost glared at her. 'You know that I didn't think you meant a real witch. You're a witch then? An actual witch?'

Hermione nodded. She pulled out her wand and tapped both her and Sirius's mugs. She cooled the coffee down significantly. He barely waited a moment and drained his coffee in one sip before he pulled out his own wand and murmured 'Accio Wine.' The bottle shot into his outstretched hand. Sirius poured himself a glass and only after he took a lengthy sip, did he deign to look back at her. Meet her eyes; still hooded; still darkened.

'You're not surprised I'm a wizard?'

'I knew you were one. I've known this whole time.'

Confusion flashed in his eyes almost brighter than the inebriation, almost stronger than when he had watched her through lustful eyes.

'How…?'

Hermione took a deep breath and finished the remaining coffee in her mug before she too poured herself some wine. 'I'm really drunk so don't expect everything I say to be fully logical. I had to meet you today because I wasn't sure where else you would be later on during the week. I know it's your birthday in a few days so I wanted to make sure that I met you before then.'

Sirius buried his head in her hands and she heard him say from the confines of his shirt dress, 'You know my birthday?'

'I know everything Sirius. I know that you're an unregistered Animagus known to your Marauders as Padfoot, I know that you all became Animagi for Moony the werewolf, a real one too. I know that you're part of a secret organisation known as the Order of the Phoenix. That your dead uncle left you an inheritance that your family tried to strip from you back in your Hogwarts years. I know of your family house elf Kreacher, who was more of a spy for your mother than anything...'

Hermione had kept her eyes clenched tightly shut during her whole tirade. She was a little too scared to open her eyes as she conjured a photo album. It flew from the bedroom and landed in between them on the table.

Hermione bit her lip. 'I know what happens in ten years as well. I know how this war ends. How it restarts in my time with Voldemort's resurrection. What Voldemort _does_.'

Sirius looked up at her. 'Who are you?'

'I really am Hermione. Just … not from this time…'

He was an intelligent man, he could suss out liars very quickly, precisely how they discovered Remus's secret in Second Year. Sirius stared into her eyes and found no semblance of lies or deceit. She was telling him her entire truth. Well not _entire_ but how was he supposed to know any different ... he had only just met this woman...

Hermione opened the photo album and thrust a particular picture under the pureblood's nose. It was one that he had no recollection of ever being taken, but sure enough, he was there, standing between Moony and Prongs, Wormtail on Moony's other side. There were many other people in the photograph as well; it was one of the Order! Lily was stood on James's other side, Dumbledore was also in the photograph, as was Moody, Edgar Bones, Marlene McKinnon, Meadowes, the Longbottoms- everyone. Even people who hadn't yet joined! Sirius let out a breath that he hardly even noticed holding in.

'Merlin's pants,' he murmured, taking the photo and scrutinising every face in it, his own face several times.

'Look at the year,' she whispered, her warm breath fanning over him as she leaned in to point to the bottom right corner of the photo. _1981_.

'Who are you?'

Hermione stuck another photograph under his nose. He saw her first, same glowing skin, flowing bushy hair, wide smile. Then he saw James, no, someone who looked just like James.

'Merlin,' he whispered, inspecting the eyes to make sure. Emerald eyes. Harry.

'Who are you?'

'I'm Hermione Granger, best friend of the famous orphan Harry Potter, known by the Wizarding World as The Boy Who Lived.'

Sirius was quiet for a while, merely staring down at the enchanting picture of his godson with wide eyes. He paused only to knock back his mug of wine and pour himself another. Then he looked back down it. Bottom right corner. _1996_.

'You're from the future. How far'

'You can do simple maths. I'm in the same year at Hogwarts as Harry.'

'Why did you come?'

Hermione did not even bother answering him. He knew why she would risk everything.

'You called him an orphan. So Lily and James die?' she nodded. 'I'm not in the equation?'

'Azkaban. You are wrongly accused of the crime of betraying your two best friends. The world you know now, the people you love, it all melts away because Voldemort turns friends against family and thwarts death in ways no one else has ever tried.'

Sirius pulled out a cigarette and Hermione had to stop herself from telling him he can't smoke in her home because he really should after what he just heard, right?

'This isn't a dream?' He asked her in a shaky voice. She hears tears but sees stony eyes. Whilst his voice is shaking, his hands are firm and steady as he feeds himself the long cigarette.

'No.'

'You're not a dream?'

She shakes her head.

'Then tell me all of this in the morning when I'm sober.'

When Hermione left to go to the toilet and wash up after a long night, she returned to the living room to find Sirius Black passed out on the sofa. She was too tired to care and threw a blanket over him, retreating to her tiny bedroom for the night.


	4. angel vs superwoman

next chapter will involve a few more characters, notably Moony, Prongs, Lily and Mad/Eye! fun fun fun. hope you enjoy, don't be shy and leave a review :3

* * *

TWENTY TURNS

chapter four : angelic superwoman

* * *

Sirius Black was quite groggy in the mornings, something which was further exacerbated when coupled with a mutilating hangover. He grunted and then moaned in a much quieter voice when he realised that grunting was only riling up the trolls bashing around inside his head. He _had_ to remember the trolls!

'Sirius,' he heard a timid voice ask from somewhere in the ether of reality and noise. 'Are you awake now?'

He moaned quietly. He was not awake. He was dying. Fucking Moony and his love of doing shots of rum.

'It seems like you're awake. I've made breakfast and coffee. Black with a drizzle of honey, right?' Sirius thought that her voice was rather lovely, this mysterious angel. 'Eggs, bacon, toast; what more could you want?' Yes, he decided, she was an angel, bringer of good news and bacon. If only she could feed him…then he could stay exactly where he was.

'Sirius?'

'Angel,' he huffed against the bit of pillow in his mouth.

He heard a tinkering laugh. 'I'm just Hermione. But really, you should get up now.'

He settled further into the pillow and clenched his eyes together tighter than before.

'Sirius,' her voice was more warning and less cajoling now. Maybe she wasn't so angelic. He clenched his eyes shut for one more sweet, finite second of peace before he threw them open and cringed.

Light was so _abusive_.

'Aaah,' he mewled, damning the brightness of the open curtains and huge windows. 'Fucking hell.'

'Are you alright? I've got a Hangover Solution right there for you.'

Grey eyes flickered up to meet Hermione's brown ones. They seemed much lighter and brighter today. Perhaps it was the sobriety that bought light to eyes that had been darkened by the drink.

Her pink lips were pursed in question whilst she waited for him to do something. Sirius's gaze lingered on her lips before he spoke to her.

'Is that it there?' A small vial perched on the windowsill.

She nodded so he took the small glass of pale brown liquid and drained it. The solution luckily tasted of nothing and would work its magic in a few minutes.

'Blimey,' Sirius murmured. 'My head is splitting open.'

Hermione nodded in understanding and made her way over to the chairs surrounding the kitchen table. 'I can imagine. You were very drunk.'

'What time is it?' He croaked.

'Almost two thirty.'

'Fuck,' he cried, burying his head in his hands. 'Moody is going to kill me.'

She shook her head and beckoned him over, telling him rather bluntly that 'You don't have time to be scared of Moody. He's the least of our worries. Do you remember the conversation we had yesterday?' When he nodded she continued on with her soliloquy. 'Sirius, we are facing the hugely existential threat of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. We need to kill him before he dies in my timeline because Harry needs a family and the world doesn't need more dead people if we can prevent it.'

'What?' he grumbled.

She raised a delicate, nicely shaped brow and then shook her head with an amused smile. 'You're still waking up. Maybe you should eat first before anything. Come over here.'

He dragged himself off the sofa and stumbled over. 'Bloody hell, this smells so good.'

Inhaling the food would have been a better way of describing the way Sirius ate; he seemed foreign to the concept of chewing, rather preferring to cram as much into his mouth as humanly possible. She was rather entertained when the eggs, sausages, bacon and toast were gone within a few short minutes.

Then he turned to his coffee. He took a gulp that nearly emptied the cup. 'Blimey…that was spectacular Hermione.'

'So you remember my name?'

'I think I remember mostly everything,' he said softly. 'Like the fact that you are from the future.' For the first time since he had sat at the table with her, his eyes flickered up to meet hers. They were dark and hooded. Most importantly, they said a million words.

'Yeah?' Hermione asked very softly. 'Surely you should remember then that I told you I wanted to change the future…'

A nod of a black head of hair. His thick locks tumbled over his face to cover most of it as he said, 'I want to help if you really are telling the truth when you say…Lily and James die.' Sirius paused. 'How?'

'Voldemort. Lily and James really piss Voldemort off by defying him three times. When he hears word of a prophecy foretelling his demise, he decides Harry is the Chosen One. By Halloween 1981, he tracks them down and kills them.' Hermione hesitated for a moment before she murmurs in a much quieter voice, 'Pettigrew sells them out.'

Sirius's head snapped up from where it was buried in his hands and his mouth fell slack open. 'What?'

'Peter Pettigrew. He gives up their location. He turns a spy for Voldemort to protect himself from the war that only get worse.'

Sirius stood up and rushed over to where his belongings had fallen out of his pockets sometime during his sleep acrobatics. He took his cigarettes and lit one.

'Wormtail sells them out or is forced to? Oh it makes no difference! I would rather die than give my friends up!'

Hermione stared resolutely at Sirius. 'He sells them out.' She could see the fury lashing out of Sirius in red strikes and almost shivered in response. His skin had turned dangerously pale, a feat considering he was so pale already.

'What else?'

'You track him down and he blows up the street, killing a dozen Muggles and transforming into a rat. Law Enforcement arrive and capture you, sentencing you to life in Azkaban.'

A harsh swallow. 'What else?'

Hermione pointed at the wall and waved her wand when Sirius turned to look. A long sheet of paper wrapped itself over the wallpaper across the wall.

'I made a timeline from Halloween 1980 to Halloween 1981. You can see for yourself all the damage that is going to unfold.'

Sirius blew out a large puff of smoke and slowly walked towards the start of the timeline. Sure enough he saw the first note of the timeline: October 31st 1980- the Marauders celebrate Halloween in the Golden Arms.

The next note was on the 3th of November- in celebration for 4th, Sirius's twenty second birthday, a big party in the Potter Manor. He stared in wonder at the timeline, packed with detail and precision, with names being thrown here and there of people that he knew getting hurt.

'This is fantastic.' Sirius said with a shake of his head. 'You are fantastic.'

She ignored the compliment and came to stand beside him. 'Your birthday is the next gathering of two or more Order members. I think you should make it massive. Introduce me to everyone.'

She felt his eyes boring into the side of her head. 'Oh yeah?'

Hermione nodded. 'Definitely. If my plan is going to work then we are going to be spending a lot of time together.'

'Why me?'

'Have you ever heard of a horcrux?' when he shook his head she continued. 'A horcrux is an object that has a piece of one's soul concealed within it. If one dies and the horcrux remains safe and untouched-'

'Then one will never die. Fucking hell Hermione, that's dark magic. And you're saying Voldemort has one?'

She shook her head. 'He has six.'

'Six?' Sirius cried. 'That's ridiculous. He split his soul into six pieces.'

'I wrote a report for you. With all the important stuff in much more concise points. There's even a few graphs showing important changes that are going to happen in the next year. For example, Voldemort's Death Eaters grow by almost thirty per cent. Why? There are more indoctrinations taking place in Hogwarts. The number of Death Eaters penetrating the Ministry of Magic grows as well. And…' she trailed off when she noticed that Sirius had that weird expression on his face again, where he was staring at her in open mouthed shock. 'What?' her hand flew up to make sure there wasn't any food stuck on her mouth or in her teeth. 'What?!'

'I stick by what I said earlier. You're an angel.'

Hermione shook her head in fondness. 'I prefer superwoman.' She waved her wand and some rolls of parchment flew into her outstretched hands. 'The report. Read it.'

 **oOo**

The report was beautifully detailed, well constructed and really did include a few bar graphs showing the growth or decline of certain focal points. Most importantly, the report foretold everything that would be happening for the next year in explicit detail. Instances of Wormtail withdrawing from his friends and the Order of the Phoenix were highlighted several times. Sirius came to the end of the report and glared down at it, almost in resentment.

'What's wrong?' Hermione asked tentatively.

'Peter really betrays us? Betrays me and Moony and the Potters?'

She shuffled up closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. 'I'm so sorry Sirius.'

'But you already think he's been having secret meetings with Malloy and Bella?'

'I know he's already been meeting with them. I assume they began their indoctrination of him as early as the middle of 1979.'

'Fuck. So it's too late to fix him?'

'We need him to rat the Potters out because we can't change the timeline, otherwise all my knowledge is useless.'

Sirius looked at her with furrowed brows. 'I think that changing the timeline will kind of be unavoidable now. When I _see_ Peter-'

'No, no, no,' she said, tightening her grip on his shoulder and with her spare hand, tilting his head so he was looking at her. 'What part of this do you not understand? We need everything to stay the same Sirius, otherwise all my reports will have been for nothing. You need to act normal with Peter, if you can't then I'll Polyjuice myself into you and act the part for you!' she ruffled his hair. 'I need your help Sirius so that all of this isn't for nothing.'

'How can I hide this from Prongs and Moony?'

'James can't know! He has to believe that Peter is one of you until the end but I swear Sirius, as soon as this is all over, you can tell James what you want.'

'And Moony?'

Her lips quirked up into a smile. 'I plan on telling him all of this in due time. Right now though, the priority is introducing your friends to your new friend.'

An alarm went off in the bedroom and Hermione leapt from her seat and ran into the bedroom to retrieve it, coming back when the noise had stopped. 'What's that for?' Sirius asked her.

'Erm well, I have to go and confound the landlord or lady into thinking that I live here and have lived here for a few days now. If you could please er…be here when I get back, that would be lovely. I won't be too long.'

She really wasn't long, maybe fifteen minutes spent casting a very strong Confundus Charm on the landlord Ricky Reynolds. He was a middle aged white man, maybe in his late forties, with salt and pepper sprinklings in his impressive beard. His eyes were very friendly, his demeanour even more so. She had false memories planted in his brain within a couple minutes, and enjoyed conversation with him about the area for twice as long.

When she came back to her flat, Hermione was not surprised to find that the place was filled with smoke and Sirius was inspecting the timeline that she had erected on the wall.

'Lily and James are throwing me a birthday party at the Potter Manor on Saturday, my birthday is on Sunday. I think we should tell Moony on that Sunday, go out for some drinks before we have dinner with the Potters.'

'You're having a dinner as well?'

Sirius smirked and she saw a flash of the charming, charismatic man from yesterday. 'Yes, my friends love me. No really, the party is a huge get together with most of the Order attending. The dinner is something far more intimate, only with close friends. I guess that means Wormtail has to come?'

She walked to his side and summoned a pen to annotate under Sirius's birthday "family get together" before she fixed him with a stern look. 'I think you should invite him.'

'I will then.'

'I can be there for moral support…also to remind you not to curse him until he explodes.'

It was his turn to fix her with a stern expression. 'Not even a little?'

'I'm not even going to answer that. But as soon as next year Halloween comes and we beat Voldemort, you can have him all to yourself.'

'That's so far away.'

'Only three hundred and sixty four days.'

Sirius glared at her and it was chilling. But then his expression softened instantly. 'You are the boss. I will try with everything in my power to do what you want and to create the results you want.'

'First thing first then,' said Hermione. 'You should take me out for dinner so we can have a conversation about who I am and who I want you to tell everyone I am.'

'Polar opposites or the truth with a sprinkle of white lies…?'

Hermione shook her head with a chuckle and pointed at the door. 'I'm going to get showered. You should pop home and freshen up then meet me back here.'

Sirius looked at her for what felt like several minutes, but was probably a couple of seconds filled with silence. He nodded, ducked his head and was out of the flat in a nanosecond.

Sirius returned and he looked perfect. His hair was tied in a high bun at the top of his head, bringing attention to his artfully sculpted bone structure. He wore black baggy jeans and a navy blue jumper that brought out the secret blue in his otherwise burning silver eyes what Hermione love most about his outfit were the flowery Dr Martens on his feet. She ushered him in and promised she would only be a moment longer. When Hermione was done and her hair was tied back in a long French plait, she threw on her coat.

'any idea where we're going?'

'I know some place nice ' he extended an arm and when she took it, pulled them into a thoroughly jerking Apparation. They appeared in a deserted alleyway in the streets of central London.

They were to a lovely Thai restaurant in Mayfair with a spectacular array of vivacious landscapes. The pair were seated at a small table by the windows, far from any eavesdroppers, though that didn't stop Hermione from giving the restaurant a once over. The restaurant was not too busy as dinner was still several hours away but she still cast a spell under the table to make sure that the few people there were in the restaurant were all Muggles. They were.

'Is everything alright?' Sirius asked her gently upon noticing her stowing away her wand. She nodded and smiled just as the waiter appeared.

'What would you like to drink sir, madam?' The impeccably dressed waiter asked, thick ginger eyebrows covering half his eyes at least.

'Hermione?'

'Just your house white wine please.' She said softly.

'Could I get the same.' The waiter was gone.

There was silence whilst they both looked at each other. Then Sirius broke it and asked the question that had been on his mind all day. 'So where are you from? I'm guessing somewhere around here?'

Hermione nodded. 'I'm from Hammersmith, born and raised there until I went to Hogwarts. After Hogwarts, I moved back to Hammersmith for a short while before I moved permanently to Aldgate.'

'You're a Londoner through and through then.'

The drinks appeared and their conversation halted whilst they thanked the waiter. 'Quite alright,' he mumbled. He turned to Hermione first. 'Have you decided on what food you would like?'

'Could I get the prawn stir fry, jasmine rice and the coconut soup.'

'Yes madam. And for you sir?'

'Prawn crackers, fish cakes, and…do you like chicken satays?' when Hermione nodded he continued on, 'and one portion of chicken satays for the starters. Then could I get for myself, potato and pumpkin soup…and…'

Hermione's attention wondered as she watched the man opposite her order. She had not expected Sirius to be so calm or levelheaded upon finding out that one of his best friends of nine years was nothing more than a rat, literally as well as figuratively. She had expected him to explode, expected only a well placed jinx to stop him from destroying Pettigrew. He was pleasantly surprising her and though Hermione knew that the Sirius she had known was an entirely different person due to years of wrongful incarceration, she had still expected an explosive temper. Wrong she was.

'What were we talking about?' The dark haired man said, recapturing her attention. 'Ah yes, you were explaining to me where in London you're from. I wonder what I should tell my friends…?'

'Tell them Notting Hill. The majority of mixed race or black people in London reside in West London and Notting Hill is the perfect place to say I live.'

Sirius grinned at her and leant back in his seat, sipping his wine. 'Yes, I've been to Notting Hill carnival for the past couple of years and it really is spectacular how much diversity there is. What about your name? I don't even know your last name.'

She hesitated and reached over to her glass of wine, sipping from it slowly. 'I…it's Granger. Hermione Granger.'

Sirius scoured his brain for the name Granger, maybe a link to tie her to some ancestry but he came up blank.

'Muggleborn or half-blood?'

She nodded and pushed her bushy dark hair off her shoulder. 'Yes, my parents are Muggle. Proudly so as well.'

A creeping smile snuck across his face and he chuckled. 'Fantastic. I mean it doesn't matter what you are of course, I really _really_ don't care, just that you being Muggleborn is like the cherry on the cake. I've never found pureblooded witches to be that agreeable with me. Unless we count people like Alice Longbottom and Marlene McKinnon but they're special cases.'

The starters arrived and their conversation put on hold whilst they thanked the waiter and tucked into their food. 'Have some of the prawn crackers,' Sirius encouraged her, so she dipped one in the lovely spicy dip it had arrived with and her mouth nearly exploded with flavour.

'Would you like more wine?' The waiter asked when he deposited more starters in front of them. Sirius drained his glass and then grinned wolffishly at the water. 'Could we get a bottle.'

'Any secret alcoholism I need to be concerned with?' Hermione asked, half joking as Sirius refilled her half full glass.

Sirius raised an eyebrow at her and took a large gulp from his wine. 'Hardly. I am going to try and enjoy my day as much as possible before Moody murders me tomorrow. He hates when I don't come to work.'

'Even if you're sick?'

His face was void of any emotion. Then Sirius said in a very low voice, ' _especially_ when I'm sick.'

Hermione laughed as she imagined a grumpy Moody assaulting Sirius verbally as well as physically.

'I am shocked that Moody would be so heartless.'

'It's more that he really really hates me. He tolerates Moony, thinks nothing of Wormtail and…' suddenly a wicked smile flashed across his face. 'And as for Prongs, well, he is probably the only other person that rivals me in being a victim of Moody's abuse. Although I might surpass James now that I have missed a day off work.'

Sirius stuffed a whole fish cake in his mouth and gestured for Hermione to take one. They were just as perfect as the satays.

The conversation flowed naturally and speculatively as Sirius asked her question after question about herself; what Hermione had been doing for the last few years, what her hobbies were, all the mischief that she had gotten into at Hogwarts. He almost choked on his pumpkin soup when Hermione informed him that:

'Snivellus becomes a fucking professor?'

She wipes her mouth with a napkin whilst nodding. 'Yes. It's pretty unfortunate actually. He is the one who hears the prophecy and he runs to tell Voldemort, never expecting his Dark Lord to mark Harry. Snake begs Voldemort to spare Lily, half the reason why Harry Potter survives. Do you remember I mentioned in the report?'

Sirius nodded whilst his large silver eyes flashed with anger. 'Voldemort offers Lily the chance to walk away but she refuses, thus giving Harry the protection that helps him survive Voldemort.' Sirius put his knife and fork down and brought his hands together sharply. 'So he is the reason for Harry surviving, somewhat surviving anyway…'

'He protects Harry you know. He loves Lily so much that he protects the child that looks exactly like the man that tormented him for much of his life.'

'Hardly,' Sirius began but she cut him off.

'No really. Try to think of it objectively Sirius. You and James made his life hell for most of Hogwarts. It could have been very easy for Snape to stay aligned to Voldemort but he chose to change sides.'

'Because he was the reason for Lily's death!' Sirius cried indignantly. His voice shrunk when he realised that he was attracting attention to their table and he sent Hermione a duck of his head in apology. 'Look, can we enjoy dinner and can you give me the opportunity to understand and dissect exactly who you are. You don't like the term angel?'

She shook her head and knocked back the glass of wine, pursing her lips in amusement when Sirius refilled it instantly.

'I prefer superwoman.'

Something clicked in his brain. Waking up with an abominable hangover, grunting and trolls, then breakfast! He had called her an angel but only now did he remember her reply; she preferred superwoman. She was priceless!

'Right Miss Angelic Superwoman. Tell me all about yourself. Your name is Granger, you're from one of the snobby parts of West London and you have a genius plan to save my best friends. I feel like I should marry you already and save us the trouble of having to get to know each other.'

Hermione rose an eyebrow at this but returned to her stir fry, preferring to shove some prawns and courgettes into her mouth as opposed to tell Sirius that she really was here just for business.

His sly grin made her realise that she was looking far too much into things and when he started chucking she felt so stupid. Her cheeks warmed up and she looked down at the stir fry. She would not let him think he could get away with all this flirting. Hermione had not gotten romantic attention for what felt like years. The idea of such a handsome man flirting with her was really discombobulating.

'Tell me, sacred superwoman, what you're all about…'

Hermione swallowed the succulent courgettes bursting with flavour and set down her cutlery. 'I don't know where to start.'

'Come on! Tell me Your birthday. Your favourite colour. If you have any pets . Your friendship with Harry. Your-'

Hermione tried to answer Sirius's questions to the best of her ability. She grinned when he nodded and watched her with the utmost interest. She hadn't enjoyed speaking to someone for such a great length of time. He seemed utterly fascinated by everything she told him and it warmed her from the inside. His pink lips were peeled back to show two rows of pearly white teeth, his flawless facial structure hardened in his interest, loosened into cheeky smiles when she told him of the adventures she had shared with Harry and before they knew it, an hour had ticked by. Sirius only jolted from his seat when something in his blazer pocket began speaking.

The mirror!

'Shit, I should take this…'

'We could leave in a moment.'

Sirius shook his head when he saw Hermione withdraw her purse. 'Please,' he said when she ignored him. 'Let me feel useful. Show you my gratitude as well.'

She resigned easily but thanked him nonetheless. Sirius pulled out a couple of twenty pound notes and left them on the table, rising from his seat and beckoning Hermione up with him.

They exited the restaurant at a leisurely pace and when Hermione next turned to face the pureblood, he had a stupid smile plastered on his face. 'What?' she asked him.

'Nothing, nothing,' but when he continued to smile, Hermione stopped in her tracks and repeated the question much more sternly. 'It's just that I am so unbelievably happy that you are here Hermione. I am grateful and I am so happy that I met you.' Sirius looked down at her and with a wicked glint in his eyes, he ruffled her hair and bent down a little to say much clearer, 'you really are an angel.'

She slapped his hand off her bushy hair (he was only making it more bushy!) and said petulantly that, 'i really prefer the term superwoman.'

'Angelic superwoman then...'

She rolled her eyes and resisted the temptation to curse him rotten.

* * *

please take a few moments to tell me what you think so far!


	5. reputation and such

hello, how y'all doing? hope youve had a fantastic week!

don't forget to review and tell me what you think! xx

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TWENTY TURNS

chapter five : reputation and such

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'Why didn't you pick up my call, you cheeky fucking bastard,' James Potter said as he opened the door for Sirius. He was holding his baby in one hand and in the other, a mini Quaffle.

Sirius closed the door behind him and ignored his friend. His godson started babbling nonsensically when he turned to look at the newcomer. 'Ga gaba!'

'Hey there pup, nice to see you too,' Sirius cooed then he pinched the baby's cheek and kicked his shoes off. Harry was still babbling excitedly. Sirius always did manage to excite the cute little pup; something that he took a lot of pride in. 'Potter.'

'Don't "Potter" me. What the fuck happened yesterday? One minute we're all dancing and then you and that bird are gone. Did you two have a special Halloween celebration at yours?'

'At hers actually. And we didn't have sex,' he slapped James on the back of the head. 'We were just talking all night.'

'Of course you were. Sirius Black played it nice with a girl. Just talked all night. Then you slept with her.' James laughed as he lead the way to the lounge. 'Don't think I'll ever forget your reputation.' A fire was bustling in its hearty fireplace. The small sofa and the coffee table had been pushed back and opposite them, lining the wall with the huge windows, were three hoops.

'Merlin's ball, you're not trying to teach a tiny little baby how to throw a Quaffle, are you?' Sirius shook his head in disbelief when James nodded vehemently. 'You're mental mate. He can hardly hold his own head up.'

James threw the Quaffle into the middle hoop and cheered alongside his son when it sailed through easily. He swapped his son to the other arm and reached inside his pocket to pull out his wand, summoning the ball back and handing it to Harry. The baby just stared down at it before dropping the ball. Maybe that was his attempt at goal shooting?

'Moony's doing nothing, Wormtail's busy with his mum but maybe he'll be free later..should I invite them over for some birthday celebration planning?'

Harry was already reaching for Sirius (more notably, his hair) so James relinquished hold on his son. 'Blimey, I can't even have his attention for a minute when you're around.'

Sirius grinned at his godson and kissed his forehead. 'Hello baby! It's your favourite person in the whole world.'

Harry giggled, expelling far too much dribble, before he reached over to tug at Sirius's hair. The pure blood had a hard time extricating it from Harry's surprisingly tight hold.

'I spoke to Wormy earlier,' lied Sirius. 'He isn't free but I know Moony is.' He slumped down onto the sofa and closed his eyes to the sensation of having his hair roughly played with. He didn't think he could deal with seeing Wormtail. Sirius was so angry but more than anything, heartbroken that Peter betrayed them. disappointed in himself as well. He was the reason for James and Lily changing secret keeper from him to Peter. Sirius knew that he had probably thought he was so smart but only several days after casting it, the Potters had died and Sirius carted off to what he reckoned was a life worse than death.

He knew that he would not be able to see Peter and act as though nothing had changed between them. In reality, Sirius knew he would curse the rat to death. Probably punch him up as well. He shook his head at the lies racing through his head; he knew he would completely destroy Peter. Even cast a few Torture Curses so he could hear Peter scream like Sirius himself had surely been screaming in the other timeline. Locked in a room with some of the darkest creatures in existence.

James thought nothing of Sirius's lie and nodded. 'Right. Well Moons can definitely come. He hasn't even started that new job right?'

Sirius nodded. 'Send a Patronus to him?'

'Baba gaga baga,' Harry contributed, patting Sirius's stubbly jaw and then reaching around to pull his hair.

'Harry thinks we should tell Moony to bring a bottle.' James said. 'But first, tell me why on earth you didn't come into work today?' His wide smile split even further and Sirius almost laughed with him. 'If only you saw Moody, fucking hell Pads, the shit he was saying about you.'

'And what did you say back?' Sirius asked from underneath very furrowed eyebrows.

He did not like the way his friend was smirking. 'Well, I told him that you were probably asleep after a surely eventful, orgasmic night-'

'You are such a piece of shit. If I didn't have Harry, I would punch that stupid smile off your stupid face. We weren't even doing anything like that. Just talking.'

His friend shrugged and picked up the mini Quaffle on the floor, throwing it into the middle hoop again.

'Well Moody thinks you chose getting your dick sucked over work and he hates you. He was so angry that he didn't even send you a howler,' and the tears of mirth trickling out of James's eyes really was testament to how much of a shit friend he was being. A shame really that Sirius loved him so much because he knew he could destroy James in a duel.

He liked to _think_ so anyway. It made him sleep easier at night.

'You're an absolute prick. Don't even speak to me. Really though, you want him to lay off you a bit and that's why you're snitching on me.'

'Snitching suggests that there's a semblance of truth to what I told him.'

'Send the fucking Patronus!' Sirius roared, then his voice dropped and softened instantly and he cuddled the baby that had stopped giggling and was fast on his way to crying. Harry's eyes were wide and his bottom lip was trembling. 'I'm so sorry Pup, I'm sorry if I scared you,' he cupped the back of Harry's head and lifted the boy up, spinning him around so it felt and looked as though he was flying. 'See, nothing to get in a strop about babe. I'm mad at your prick father.'

'He might just be missing his mummy. Lily is doing overtime at the lab and Harry had to spend most of the day with Lily's mum. She's very strict about sweeties, Harry assures me.'

'Merlin's pants, Harry just wants some sweet treats. Too bad I can't trust him with fruit.' Sirius said with a shake of his head. 'Send the fucking patronus Potter, I don't want to ask again.'

'I don't want to ask again,' James mimicked in an oddly accurate imitation. Really, it was Remus who had the knack for imitating people.

The patronus was sent and within minutes, Remus sent back a hilarious reply. 'I was already getting ready to come over. I don't need your permission. I am my own person. Really though, you can't complain Pads if I come to Prongs' with a bottle of rum.'

He did arrive with a bottle of rum, some gorgeous spiced Jamaican rum that Sirius recognised all too well.

'Moony,' they cried as they pulled open the door to let in their blond friend. Well, blond was a reductionist term considering that Remus's hair was several colours; blond, brown; little flecks of red in the brown. A kaleidoscopic.

He stood at an inch or two taller than Sirius, a few more taller than James, and as of recently, he seemed far more toned than he ever had been. Then again, he did spend many weekends running after silly dogs and stags on drunken nights out, maybe that was why.

Harry cheered and stretched out of Sirius's arms into Remus's. The blond hair was long enough to tug but not as long or as entertaining as pulling Sirius's. Remus hardly reacted when the boy yanked a fistful of golden tendrils, very much the opposite to the boy's godfather.

'Merlin, Harry's allegiance changed quick,' the long haired pureblood muttered in jest.

'Will the rum make you feel better?' as the three men and the baby walked towards the lounge. The Wizarding Wireless Network was playing softly in the background, Celestina Warbeck's vocals slipping into their ears all too soothingly as Remus opened the bottle. Harry made a reach for it but the werewolf muttered quietly, 'No, no, not for kids,' and moved the baby to his other arm. 'Glasses please Prongs.' Three small shot glasses placed themselves, one after the other, directly in front of Remus on the glass coffee table that had been summoned over. Whilst he poured them three equal sized shots, he turned to Sirius.

'What happened with the girl from yesterday? You both disappeared and missed my lovely impression of Diana Ross.'

Sirius chuckled and said slowly, 'Nothing, we were just chatting until the morning, where we proceeded to sleep and do nothing else. Woke up in the morning and she sent me on my way home.' Then he turned a chilling glare onto James. 'This dick however, told Moody quite the opposite.'

'Yeah?' Remus laughed. 'What did you say again Prongs?'

The bespectacled Marauder was giggling far too much. 'Well, Moons, really, Moody wouldn't have believed me if I said anything to defend Sirius. So I just said that Sirius was probably getting some lovely morning fellatio as opposed to filing reports, then Moody proceeded to roar about how Sirius is a slut and a waste of space.' James deserved the elbow to the ribs from his fellow pureblooded friend.

'Ow, stop with the abuse, you're really hurting me.'

Sirius ignored him and bought his shot forward for a toast. 'Let us toast then, to shitty friends and bad liars-'

'Hey, lets make it a little more inclusive, eh? Also I'm not a shitty friend. I'm just not going to lie to Moody anymore about your clandestine activities.'

'Gaga maga baga gag aga…' Harry added as he pulled Remus's hair

'Right you are son.' James cheered. 'I can always count on you to defend me. A toast then, to gaga maga baga and of course gag aga,' the group of young men chuckled as they clinked glasses and tossed back their drinks.

'So there's nothing between you and er…' Remus scoured his brain to try and remember what her name was but came up short.

'Hermione,' Sirius said with a disapproving shake of his head, 'it's really not hard to remember. And no, there's nothing. But I'd like us to be friends. I'm seeing her later hopefully.'

He stood up and waltzed over to the WWN where he proceeded to tinker with it. Within a couple of minutes and a few taps of his wand, Sirius had Muggle radio flooding the room. He grinned as The Clash filled his whole body.

Oh London Calling, it was just the song that Sirius needed to hear. He started to dance and sing to it as he poured them each another shot.

'London calling but I don't want to shout,' he screamed as he used the rum bottle to pretend it was a microphone. 'But when we were talking, I saw you nodding out, oh, London calling,' he cried, throwing his head back and letting out a roar. Harry was giggling excitedly from Remus's lap and was holding his arms out to be picked up by Sirius, so the long haired man lifted the boy and began dancing and singing with him, excited that Harry was as passionate as he was.

'Well I think you should,' said Remus. 'Pursue something that is. She seems quite fun.'

Then Sirius stopped mid-jig and he punched himself in the head. 'I didn't even tell you the best thing about her.'

James, the lightweight, was already giggling. 'Her bum?' Remus joined his giggling.

'She does have a nice bum but no, you shameless perverts, I'm talking about the fact that she's a witch!'

Clearly neither man had expected this and Sirius looked on in pride as Remus choked on his shot and James stopped moving entirely.

'Yeah, I know, it's crazy.'

Then the werewolf, fast as ever, asked the question that would only logically follow. 'She didn't attend Hogwarts then?'

Sirius shook his head slowly and looked down at the baby in his arms, remembering that Remus was the most speculative of all of them. 'No, I think she went university somewhere else in Europe.'

'Maybe you should invite her around then. Introduce her properly to the gang, especially Lily,' said James as he refilled their shot glasses.

Sirius nodded quickly. He knew it was important for Lily to meet her; as James and even Remus would not be comfortable with her until Lily gave the OK. He continued dancing with his godson, spinning him around and lifting him above his head. The peals of laughter rippled through him and he grinned so hard his jaw started to hurt. Then he smelt something rather foul and stopped with the vigorous moving.

'Prongs, your son has murdered my sense of smell.' He handed the small boy to his father and laughed when James hurried out of the room, no doubt to wash Harry and change his nappy and his clothes.

Sirius slumped into his friend's seat and slowly poured himself another shot. He offered Remus and refilled his as well.

'It's a bit odd that she ends up being a witch as well. Brilliant though but a little strange.'

Sirius nodded. 'Definitely. But I wonder now whether we are the only Magical beings occupying Muggle pubs. I mean if I had never chatted her up, we never would have known. How many witches and wizards could there have been in a place like that? Especially because Muggle music is so much better than Magical stuff over here'

His friend sent him a half smile and murmured in a much quieter voice, 'Prongs is gone, you can tell me if you really spent all night sleeping…'

He elbowed Remus in the side and let out a war cry when Remus punched him in the arm, hard enough to bruise surely, because idiots like Remus didn't know their own strength. He transformed into a huge, shaggy black dog and licked the side of Remus's face, dodging the fist that was coming his way and letting out a yelp of amusement.

When James did return with a clean, fresh Harry, it was to find the two dogs wrestling. Sirius always did pick battles that were near impossible for him to win.

 **oOo**

Hermione inspected the timeline with furrowed eyebrows. She was trying to ascertain what Dumbledore would be doing in the upcoming weeks until the Bloody Sunday Massacre. An event which would kill almost two dozen innocent Muggles two days before Christmas. It would take place in the poverty stricken streets of London's East End, where people were already facing the hardships of living in such a poor, decrepit part of London.

'Hmm,' she hummed to herself, 'the first time I'll see him will be Sirius's birthday party at the Potter Manor. He comes in for a couple of hours with Moody. But do I tell him then, or merely make my existence known…'

She shook her head. 'Make my existence known. I have one whole year to get this right. No rush.'

She was jerked out of her reverie when there was an extremely rude bombardment of knocking on her front door. She huffed, stowed her wand in her bright pink nightgown and hurried to the door to put an end to its abuse.

 _Of course it would be Sirius Black_.

'What are you doing?'

'Er,' she was in shock. He hadn't greeted her, was clearly drunk (again) and was wearing a gorgeous smile that tickled her belly a little too much. 'Nothing.'

Sirius pushed past her into the house and she got a strong whiff of rum.

'What are you doing here?'

'It's my birthday party tomorrow at the Potters and I need help brushing up on your cover story.'

'Actually,' Hermione began but he cut her off.

'I mean what if people ask what school you went to because Hogwarts is clearly out of the equation, and I provide a different answer to the one you do. Or I say that your birthday is in January and you say it's…'

'September,' she deadpanned.

'Oh right. Fat chance of us throwing a birthday party then?' he shook his head and addressed another issue. 'What if I say you picked me up in a pub and you say I picked you up?'

Hermione rolled her eyes and waved her wand. 'First, it was _you_ who "picked" me up, just to set the record straight. But I was actually going to say that I'm very glad you came around considering that tomorrow is your birthday party.'

Sirius nodded in strong agreement. 'Yes, I always have had the infallible ability of being in the right place at the right time. That and I almost forgot how cute you are. I took it upon myself to remind and relive your cuteness-'

'Sirius, shut up. I am very stressed and you are doing nothing to help. Now, as I was saying, I think it is better that you came now rather than later because tomorrow is going to be quite hectic.'

'James and i are going into work tomorrow but Lily has booked the day off to get the house ready with the help of Remus and Harry.'

'But I fear that anything I say will go straight back out of your head. Drunkenness being the main reason.' She was lying, it was the _only_ reason.

Sirius waved her off. 'Blame Moony. He bought rum.'

'Did he force feed you it as well?'

He sent her a cheeky grin and shook his head. 'No, he just started wrestling me and sometimes rum is the only drink that can mend my broken ego. He's surprisingly strong…'

'I know he's a werewolf Sirius. He's probably the strongest person you know.'

'Only because of his dirty tactics,' Sirius mumbled in a bid to console himself. 'But anyway, listen to this. I think we should introduce you as a friend of mine. From over here but you were educated in Beauxbatons or something. Do you speak French?'

Hermione shook her head. 'I speak Portuguese though, if you remember my mother is Angolan and only first generation. Her parents speak more Portuguese than they do English.'

'Wow,' he murmured with a raised eyebrow, 'i didn't know that.' He scratched his head and seemed to ponder aloud as he questioned quietly, 'Do Portugal have any wizardry or witchcraft schools?'

She was already pulling out a roll of parchment with several bullet points scrawled on it and highlighter of different colours marking certain words/phrases. 'Yes they do. The Escola Evorativa da Magia, or the Evoran School of Magic as we should say. A school in the centre of Portugal, for all the witches and wizards of the country and more. I have listed some important notes here but I really don't know whether it's worth you having a look now or…' she trailed off when Sirius started reading the well-constructed bullet points.

'You studied at the Evoran School of Magic until you were sixteen before coming back home to Notting Hill. Your parents are dentists over here. You plan on entering the Ministry and helping to better the rights of classified beasts. You…' whilst he read aloud, Hermione turned to the tiny kitchen and began making them both a steaming hot cup of coffee. Surely it would help Sirius as whilst he may not admit to himself, from the way he was swaying, Hermione truly believed him to be well into his cups.

'Hermione, this is piss easy to remember. Evoran Magic School, you finished at sixteen and have been living back home since. You're an only child. You support the Holyhead Harpies, though I don't know why. They're crap this seasons.

'Er you can't judge,' she chuckled as she beckoned for him to come and sit at the breakfast table with her. 'So Lily and Remus will be setting everything up?'

He nodded and pushed his hair off his face. 'I have work tomorrow and I know Moody too well Hermione. He is going to humiliate me in front of the whole Auror Division even though he will be one of the first to turn up at my birthday. Maybe I should tell him that any abuse means he can't attend.'

'Oh gosh, do you really think that'll work?'

Sirius released a quivering sigh, clearly downtrodden and with fear glimmering in his eyes. 'If anything it'll make him want to be there even more.'

'Didn't James stick up for you? Say you were really sick or come up with some other bogus lie?'

Suddenly, red spots started to pop across Sirius's cheeks and he ducked his head in shame. He muttered darkly under his breath, 'useless perve' before clearing his throat. 'No,' he said, shaking his head. 'Nothing of the sort. Strange really, considering I would give my life for the guy. But alas, shitty friends and shitty liars are strife in my friendship group.' He joked with a big smile but Hermione could see the nerves through it all.

Her mug froze mid air on its way to her mouth. She got the feeling that she didn't want to know what James had said but the question was out of her mouth before she could question whether….whether she wanted to know.

'What did he tell Moody?'

Sirius ran a hand through his messy locks and still avoiding her eyes, he shrugged. 'The prick told Moody that we were having a…Halloween celebration of our own. Something about morning blow jobs as well.'

'Bloody hell!' She cried, smacking her fist down on the table. 'Why on earth would he say something like that?'

'In all honesty Hermione, they probably assumed that's what we were doing. My erm…reputation and such.'

Her eyes were still narrowed as she downed her coffee and poured herself another.

* * *

Please leave a review and tell me what you think!


	6. moody-induced nerves

a particular thanks to an anonymous reviewer ( **Liza** ) who took the time to dissect my story and constructively criticise what i've gotten wrong. so I know Remus can't change at will, I meant "pair of dogs fighting" when he's wrestling an Animagus Sirius as more of a metaphorical, figurative phrase than literal. i've thoroughly edited my story over the past couple of months because as you pointed out, I don't make it clear at some points when the perspective/character narration changes. I plan to reveal along the course of the story how exactly Hermione got her time-turner, and as for whether things have heated up or not, I think Sirius is very different to all the other characters that Hermione has yet to reveal her true identity to. he makes things more cheerful and optimistic right now because that is all he feels he can do. Hermione's OOC-ness is a result of what she has gone through, though personally I don't think she is very OOC, just more confident/less afraid or panicked- after all she's spent two years planning all of this. please don't hesitate to tell me more about where you think i'm going wrong.

please review and tell me what you all think!

p.s. this chapter has been reposted because it has been thoroughly edited.

* * *

TWENTY TURNS

chapter six : moody-induced nerves

* * *

Yesterday, whilst he had been sober and surrounded by James and Remus and friendship, when there had been a clear lack of Peter…

It was all too much for Sirius.

He had stayed up for most of the night in his bedroom staring at the ceiling whilst spread flat across the bed. He had stared for hours and hours and wondered what went wrong…

Why would Peter betray them? Yesterday with the other two Marauders had been such an example of what their friendship meant and stood for. Sirius did not know where he would be without his friends; they had saved him from a miserable, bitter life that surely would have involved the Dar-k Arts and the Dark Lord and DARK DARK DARK stuff. More vital, still, was the fact that they had saved him from loneliness. Sirius knew now that whilst he still loved his dead brother, Regulus had slowly turned into a carbon copy of their mother.

Then again, maybe Sirius would have also become just like his mother if left to her acrid influence and hateful words.

Loneliness as well without Lily, so special to him and someone he had found a surprising friend and confidant in, considering their frequent confrontations back in Hogwarts.

What was more was that Sirius started to worry about the identity of the potential spy that may have been floating about the Order of the Phoenix. It was barely a whisper amongst the organisation, nothing substantial happening just yet. But last month there had been a warrant for a long awaited raid on Borgin and Burkes, one which would expose two suspected Death Eaters who were selling illegal potions. Poisons actually, but none belonging to the list of approved poisons commissioned by the Minstry. It was a Super Special Secret Auror Mission that had obviously not remained secret amongst the Order. However despite knowledge and several months worth of gathering knowledge and information about the possessions within Borgin and Burkes, nothing remotely illegal was found during the raid. Even the cursed masks were completely fine.

No poisons in sight when they were certain, could all unanimously conclude that there had been a vast collection.

One of the main poisons was a substance that was undetectable in the body without spell work orientated to specifically detect the potion. Considering that it contained some ingredients that were unusually difficult to find in the country, it made the poison even more elusive and enigmatic. Furthermore, it had taken the life of the very anti-Dark Arts Deputy Minister for Magic, Artemis Fowl. Thus for the first time in recent Wizarding History, the public had a referendum which led to the instatement of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as Deputy Minister. Bartemius Crouch Sr was just as important as Milicent Baghold, though more hardline as well. This was illustrated by the law that Crouch planned on passing-the permitted/encouraged use of Unforgivables on Death Eaters and known sympathisers if need be. Crouch's new powers as deputy made many of the laws he had always spoken of wanting to pass finally a possibility. Already, the national curfew around high-alert cities had been pushed forward to ten pm.

Sirius ran a hand over his face and scowled up at the ceiling. He had another issue entirely, regarding a time travelling witch. He knew she was telling the truth, the bag of pictures and articles she had gone through with him were testament to it, but it seemed ruddy insane that she was still holding back so much information from him. He knew that she had not told him everything; what about the fabled horcruxes, did she know where they were, but of course she would…

Future…

What about all the people that were going to die? Would she tell him? What if they were his friends? The Longbottoms, Shacklebolt, Fabian and Gideon, McKinnon... what if any one of his friends died and she had the power to stop it?

Of course the priority would always be Harry, Lily and James. Sirius had to make sure he remembered that. Next of course was the huge dilemma of Peter Pettigrew. Sirius did not understand how he was supposed to act completely normal around him, as though nothing had changed when everything had- he would only see betrayal where a comrade once stood. Moreover was the undeniable truth that Sirius could not act very well, rather preferring to wear his emotions on his face like makeup.

He huffed and conjured his cigarettes. Tomorrow would bring his party and with the party, Peter surely. But if he was surrounded by his friends and by the love and trust that defined it, surely he would be alright…

Sirius would have to get up early and visit Hermione. With her would he unload all of his insecurities and questions, certainly because he did not have Moony to do so with yet.

Sleep did not come easy that night, visiting him briefly for a couple short hours. It was painful when he woke up and remembered that he had to go in to work, where Moody would curse him rotten. Visiting Hermione for a short while would be a good distraction.

 **oOo**

Two walls in the living room/kitchen now wore the complete timeline across, the start being when Hermione had arrived and the end being the round up of Voldemort's supporters after his fall, including their locations and their activities. She was hesitant to allow Sirius to read the whole thing, Hermione knew he had been close friends with Meadowes, who would inevitably die. The Prewett twins as well would meet a nasty end but Hermione could not afford to change the timeline so much. Sirius's very informal birthday get together would have some Order members, a perfect time for Hermione to be introduced, just as a friend. She knew it would be disconcerting but as long as she used her charm and kept a low, innocuous profile, she hoped that her presence wouldn't stand out too much.

Hermione waved her wand and a dark green journal flew towards her, laying itself on her lap and opening to the thirteenth page. On the page was a character profile of Lily Potter. She knew from stories and research that Harry's mother was a naturally speculative woman, exactly why she had discovered Remus Lupin's secret in Fourth Year. Hermione also knew that Lily was fiercely protective of her family. She knew in dark times like these that the redhead would naturally be very suspicious of her. Whilst she read the journal entry about Lily, Hermione's mind started to wander. Although she was reluctant to tell Remus about her true identity just yet, she knew that the more Marauders on her side, the better for her and for the Potters.

A tapping on the window stole Hermione's attention and she turned her whole body to study the small owl knocking its beak belligerently.

Hermione rushed over to the window and let the owl in. It was quite a strange owl; a light mousy brown with huge beady eyes on an otherwise tiny body. Tied to the owl's leg was a roll of parchment with loopy writing. She could guess whose writing it was very easily. Hermione shook her head and carefully removed the roll from the owl. Scrawled on the parchment, a letter from Sirius.

 _To the resident of Camden Vale,_

 _I have realised how rude it is that I appear unannounced at your door without an invitation. Thus, I present you with your warning. I will be at yours very soon… I have more questions for you than even I realised._

 _From your friendly Camden Lock Neighbour_

Her eyes narrowed as she reread the last sentence; "more questions for you than even I realised".

That disconcerted her a great deal. Hermione did not want to disclose some information that she knew; like the people that were to die in the months following up to the Halloween of 1981. Moreover, she planned to change the future- change what Sirius might ask about like how many years he was going to spend in Azkaban, like the state of his mental health when he returned, all things that weren't going to happen. Not if Hermione's plan went down as planned.

She knew quite a lot though such as how to make the Wolfsbane Potion, which would stand to be a last resort if Remus failed to be on her side.

Hermione stared at the owl that had started swiftly soaring through her flat. She grinned when it began tweeting a loud song. Did it want a reply? Or maybe the owl wanted food.

Just then a sharp knocking sounded on her front door.

Hermione had not expected "very soon" to be within ten minutes of reading the letter.

The bushy haired girl rolled her eyes and hurried to the door. She pulled out her wand and peaked through the spy hole. Sure enough with his pale skin and long black hair, Sirius Black was waiting at the door with the widest smile on his face. She held her wand tightly.

'Who is it?'

A gruff laugh. 'That's all you've got? Lily would be ashamed. Ask me a better question.'

Hermione started spluttering as her cheeks began to swell with emotion. 'Right well, er…what nickname did you give me in the restaurant we went to?'

She heard chuckles. 'Something ridiculous, I can't really remember that clearly because I was pretty drunk, but I think I was calling you an angel, my sweet angel.'

Hermione looked through the peep hole again and sighed. 'Sirius, it is something that I don't approve of so either come up with another nickname or call me by my _actual_ name.' Then she shook her head. 'Also, I distinctly remember you saying that you would go to work today.' She pulled the door open to reveal Sirius Black, standing with a cheeky grin smeared on his face. She looked up at him and appraised his face; much more pale and sallow with lavender-tinted bags under his eyes.

Just when Hermione was about to usher Sirius in, the door of flat 19 was pulled open and a long narrow figure slipped out. Stevie.

'Ello 'Ermione, reckon catchin' you out 'ere. 'Oo's this?'

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek and almost rolled her eyes at Stevie, at the way he was looking Sirius up and down like he was a threat, stretching himself to his full height. Sirius leant casually next to the door, closer to Hermione, with his own eyes drawn to Stevie.

'A friend,' the bushy haired witch began but Sirius interrupted her.

'My name is Sirius. Who are you?'

'I am Stevie.' The man with spiky hair replied in a much more clipped tone; strangely a more refined accent as well, as if to show Sirius that he could sound just like him. This did not go unnoticed by Sirius, whose eyes flashed threateningly.

'Oh yeah.' His stormy grey eyes flashed again and he straightened up to his full height. 'Right Stevie. Now the pleasantries are finally over, can I come in Hermione?'

She barely got a word out before the door closed behind Sirius and he panted as though he had run a marathon. 'Merlin's dirty knickers, who is _that_?'

'A neighbour-'

'More like an admirer. Anyway, aren't you forgetting something?'

Hermione rose an eyebrow very very slowly. She definitely was not forgetting anything.

'I want to kill Peter. You're saying that I can't and so that leaves me with one big concern. How the fuck do you expect me to fake being his friend for a year. It is a year from now, no?'

She nodded quickly. 'It is.'

Sirius clapped his hands together loudly. 'Right. So how do I go about pretending to be his friend?'

Hermione's hand froze as she went to refill her jasmine tea with some more hot water. She stared at the mug, cute little acrylic flowers painted around the handle, where she tried as hard as she could to phrase what would next leave her mouth as carefully as possible.

'Sirius,' she began, turning to face him and frowning when she noticed the anger in his expression. 'What part do you not understand? I am from the future and can only tell you what that future entails if everything stays the same. If Peter thinks you guys suspect him then he might not tell Voldemort the location of Lily and James. He might tell Voldemort sooner. He might run off with his tail between his legs and will never be an option for James and Lily.'

'Then they'll be safe!' Sirius shouted angrily.

'But then we won't know where Voldemort will be with no way of destroying him because Harry won't be marked. Halloween will be the only time that we'll know for certain where he is and most importantly that he'll be alone. Not even his Death Eaters knew when he planned to go to the Potters. How else do we stand a chance in defeating him if we give up the only time that he'll be most vulnerable.' She sat down at the table and fixed a pointed gaze on the pureblood. 'That will mean that I have gone through all of this trouble for nothing. I spent a long time playing around with my time turner so that it would send me back so much further than Leon's Law of Time permits. I committed a crime that's punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban for Merlin's sake. All of this hard work so I can make sure that Voldemort dies on Halloween in a year and nothing can change that Sirius.'

He ran a rough hand through his hair and scowled at the floor.

'Sirius, it's a sacrifice that you have to make.' Her voice was more stern.

'What if I can't?'

'You can and you must.'

'Show me the time turner then.' When Hermione hesitated to even present him with an answer, the volume of his voice increased as his eyebrows grew angrier. 'You don't have one, do you?'

'It's not that I don't have one, just that I fail to see how showing you a time turner will prove that I am telling the truth. You don't know anything about time turners, so really, it'll look the same to you if it sent me back twenty years or twenty hours. I think showing you more pictures will work better.'

Sirius had almost forgotten the collection of pictures she had shown him on the first night. He was shaking with confusion and anger, not even at her but at the situation. How easy it had been to act normal with Prongs and Moony, but Wormtail was an entirely different situation altogether. Forever in Sirius's mind would Peter be a reminder of betrayal, even if he never got around to betraying the Potters.

'What happens to Peter in your timeline?' He croaked.

Hermione hesitated, blinking large eyes that were mostly taken up by pure black pupils. She said very slowly, 'He dies a horrible death thanks to his own subconscious volition. That's all that matters.'

'Right,' Sirius replied as he paced the room in swift strides. 'He dies. Prongs dies. I die. What about Moons?'

She nodded.

'Fucking hell!' Sirius whispered. 'We all die before we're even forty.

'Do you need another look at the pictures and articles about what is going to happen in the next twenty years? You need to decide whether you are on board or whether I need to persuade you more. I have extracts from published textbooks explaining the many lives that were changed or taken by the First Wizarding War.' Hermione conjured some of the neatly organised reports of concrete evidence to show Sirius; then she paused for a moment. 'Alice and Frank Longbottom are tortured into insanity Sirius. They spend the rest of their lives in St Mungo's and their son Neville is raised by his grandmother.' She slid one specific page, extract really, from the Daily Prophet under Sirius's nose. It was from November the 3rd 1981, telling the story of the Longbottoms being tortured by several Death Eaters in revenge for the Dark Lord's demise. The picture was a particularly saddening one of the family of three laughing and smiling at each other, most notably a baby Neville, only a couple of months and already beaming brightly at his mum and dad.

'Sirius…' she trailed off when he moved to sit at the kitchen table, digging a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it quickly. Hermione got a clean mug from the dish rack and placed it beside Sirius's shaking hand. She took a seat next to him and watched carefully.

'I…I find it truly astonishing that you have gone through all of this trouble to right what is going to end so badly.'

'I know it's not fair to let Voldemort ruin so much when it's something I can prevent.'

Sirius frowned and muttered under his breath something about "angels". He blew a large cloud of smoke and it formed a chunky ring that glistened. 'I think this is mental.'

'It will work. Nothing mental about success.'

He raised his eyebrows at her and blew some smoke out of the corner of his mouth. 'You don't know.'

'I do. I have probability graphs to prove it!' She flicked her thick shimmering hair behind her. Sirius looked up at Hermione with a vacant face, like the concept of emotion was foreign to his bushy brows and stormy eyes.

'Would you like a cuppa?'

'Please.'

A smoke ring, much bigger than the last, floated by whilst Hermione arranged two mugs for some good old fashioned brew. The ring took a while to dissipate, and as if by magic, it stayed alive a lot longer than it should have done, defying all odds...

 **oOo**

Sirius and Hermione planned to arrive together and would meet at hers in an hour. It was more than enough time to prepare and read over some character notes. She knew that although it would not be Order members exclusively in attendance, they would take up a large portion of the guests. Many friends from Hogwarts were going to be at the Potter Manor as well as a couple of work colleagues, like the very UNFRIENDLY Moody.

Hermione stared in the mirror and looked at the ridiculous bush that was her hair, sometimes her favourite characteristic of herself and other times, the greatest burden. As Hermione prepared her hair and makeup, she thought hard on the different ways should could present herself. Perhaps as an innocuous, charming young woman who could have possibly taken a fancy to Sirius in a completely coincidental pub night out on Halloween. Surely it was something that regularly happened to Sirius. Hermione, whilst very tempted to dress in some jeans and boots, opted for a cute blue dress and a very warm navy jumper on top. Her hair was in two lovely long French plaits on either side of her head. She looked down at the mostly faded scars carved into her forearm. A gentle tap of her wand cast a glamour over the scars…and her slightly more personal secrets and insecurities buried themselves further inside her.

Hermione had always faced a lot of prejudice and bullying: whether it was for her gender and the fact that she broke all the gender enforced norms that young girls face... or for her big front teeth that had transformed her face into that of a beaver's-

Hermione had faced terrible bullying in the Muggle world only to discover that she was bullied and stereotyped in a different way in the Magical world: for having Muggle parents.

She didn't need to see the reminder carved on her forearm everyday, she knew what people thought of her but she didn't need to constantly be reminded.

Hermione looked in the full length mirror and nodded to herself.

Like clockwork, there was knocking on the front door. Same style as before. Three in quick succession, then a pause for a couple of seconds, before another round of three quick hard knocks. Sirius.

Hermione hurried to the front door. 'Who is it?'

'The best Beater in Hogwarts history.'

Hermione laughed. 'Oh yeah?'

'Definitely. There was this match in Sixth Year when I had to be two Beaters at once because my partner had been knocked out and so had the substitute.' He grinned into the spy hole. 'Horrible match for the dirty Slytherins, but ruddy awesome for us. I'm pretty sure I hit people on the head with the bat rather than the Bludger.'

'Ruthless!'

'One hundred percent and don't you forget it! It's not something that I think I'll ever forget. I mean come on! I was the reason for us winning the cup! I was even voted the best Beater in Hogwarts!'

Hermione hummed. 'By who?'

There was a snicker. 'The I Love Sirius Black Society. Let me in, I'll be late for my own birthday.'

'What birthmark does your owl have and where on its body is it?'

There was a pause and then a snicker, 'Firstly, it's not a birthmark, it's a tattoo. Sita is quite the daredevil. As for the question, she has a paw print on her cute little head.' He chuckled again. 'Gave that to her when I first got her. It's even more adorable because I got a little tattoo of her beak on my shoulder.'

The bushy haired girl let out a pealing laugh as she imagined Sirius and his owl having adorable little tattoos in memory of one another…though more for the sake of Sirius than his owl.

Hermione held her wand tight as she pulled open the door. She looked Sirius up and down slowly. He wore some funky green platform boots with black jeans and a Black Sabbath t-shirt. On top of that was of course the iconic leather jacket that was an embodiment of recklessness and the London punk scene of the 80s. His hair was tied back into a low bun with a few wisps and tendrils escaping to frame a face that looked much better than it had done earlier. Adorning both his ears were cute little golden rings. As for his skin... colour had restored to redden his cheeks. She closed the front door behind him and ushered the young man into the kitchen. 'Have you been reading the notes again-'

'I have read the notes Professor Hermione. A dozen times at least!'

She waved her wand and all of the notes that were spread out on the kitchen table bundled themselves up and moved in a stack to the corner of the room. With a few more hastily cast spells, the flat was tidy and perfectly normal. No moving photographs or strange articles.

'I am still a little shocked that you had a school society dedicated to you.'

Sirius nodded quickly with a very serious expression on his face. 'Oh yes, yes, very popular society which actually had members from all Four Houses in it. Unfortunately, it also happened to be the reason that I was teased mercilessly by Moony for most of our OWLs and NEWTs.' Then he winked with a quick flash of his pearly teeth. 'It was hands down one of the most traumatising periods of my life. The cheeky bastard even joined the society to poke fun at me even more.'

Hermione couldn't hide the amusement from her face. 'It sounds like he was very mean.'

The silver eyed man chortled. 'Positively cruel!'

'He's the one that I want to invite on our mission.'

He fixed her with a crooked eyebrow and then cleared his throat. 'I…' then he huffed at her, 'thank you. I need him in this.'

Hermione nodded at him. 'I know that. Come on now, we need to go.' She slipped on her trench coat and turned to him. 'Shall we?'

Sirius offered his arm and said in a much more cheerful voice, 'A tip for later, lest I get too sloshed and forget, avoid Moody like the plague. He probably hates you.'

Before Hermione could reply, he took her hand impatiently and tugged her into a thoroughly disorientating trip through space, where their bodies were stretched and sliced and stripped through the small crevices of matter that Apparition opened up.

They appeared neatly outside the manor- stunning space and field surrounding the towering building. There were rose bushes of all colours, even a cute collection of bird baths scattered around a majestic fountain. It seemed as though no one had yet arrived to the party yet, which was good. It was already almost sundown now which meant that Lily and Remus must have almost finished preparing. Hermione shook her head to gather her wits and when her wits were gathered, she yanked her hand back and huffed angrily at the way Sirius had warned her. 'Some context, please,' she hissed. 'You can't just come out with a warning and not explain why…'

The long-haired man rose one thick arched eyebrow, which she was coming to realise was a personality trait of his, and replied that he was 'unable to understand how that old coot's brain works'. As they walked towards the front door and upon their inspection, discovered some balloons and banners streamed across the front door. Upon further scrutinisation, she saw through the window, could see banners and balloons across the hallway mirror and on the walls.

Sirius and Hermione paused in front of the door: time for her to retell him some of her instructions. 'Sirius, you need to remember to tell everyone the same thing and stay consistent. We met at the Golden Arms, we bought one another drinks and we danced with your friends before you walked me home at the end of a great night. You-'

'Drunkenly lit a cigarette using magic in front of you and we became friends. As such, we have been out with each other a couple of times since and have found kindred sprits within one another. That and you are a great dancer.'

She beckoned for him to proceed. He rung the doorbell and Hermione noticed lights in the visible portion of the house through the window; lights which snuck onto the ceiling and flickered. A tune followed and Sirius whistled along loudly with the tune as the sound of heels began getting louder and closer. 'Who is it?' Hermione heard a soft voice ask from the other side of the door.

Sirius paused and then said proudly, 'the splendid Hermione and here to escort her and her handbag, the best Beater in Hogwarts history. Probably the best player as well.'

Lily giggled on the other side of the door, echoed by a baby. Harry! Hermione almost exploded with excitement and anticipation.

'…still going on, I mean James would disagree so that means I have to as well.'

'Bull shit. You just disagree because you know I'll gloat to Potter if you do take my side.'

'Ridiculous,' splutteredbo Lily. 'Tell me then what I have taken your side on before.'

The dark haired man looked down at the bushy haired woman and beamed as he answered in a sing/song voice, 'that I have nicer hair than Prongs. He never forgave you for that.'

'I've never forgiven you for running and telling him like a dog.'

He chortled, 'I am a dog!'

'You nearly ruined my relationship.' The door was pulled open and Hermione got to see with her own eyes the woman that was Harry Potter's fantastic mother. In her arms, the baby Harry that Hermione had been so excited to see.

'Happy Birthday Padfoot,' Lily cried, ushering the pair in. She wrapped her free arm around him and kissed both his cheeks.

'Thank you,' Sirius said with a kiss to her. 'Lily, this is my friend Hermione.'

The red haired woman turned to face Hermione with calculative emerald eyes that were on an otherwise vacant face. Slowly she outstretched her hand to Hermione. 'Lovely to meet you.'

'The pleasure is all mine. I have heard ever so much about you from Sirius over here.'

Lily's eyes flickered to her friend and then back to Hermione's, which were lighter than usual. Not tinted by the misty shadows of inebriation and more of their nature hazel. Sirius clapped his hands together. 'Where's the wolf?'

'In the dining room, just finishing up with the balloons,' Lily said as she handed her son to his godfather. Sirius grinned down at the boy as he led the way, past the small lounge, past the much larger one that was rarely used as it reminded James too much of his dead parents. Whilst they journeyed to where the party was taking place, Hermione's eyes followed the pictures and portraits strung up on the walls: many of a man that looked identical to Harry, pictures of the happy family of three, ones of James and his parents, of his Marauder as well.

Finally, past all the balloons and banners stuck on walls and doors, they entered the dining hall. It was an enormous room: the long dining table had been pushed back against one of the walls and was cluttered with different whiskeys and rums and cognacs. A few smaller tables with snacks were also littered around the cavernous room. There were floating lanterns and candles, there were rose petals forming pretty shapes (like stars and hearts) against the vast windows across the longest side of the room. The WWN was playing softly in the corner and had been rigged to play some of the great hits of the last decade. Levitating several feet from the floor and stringing another banner up was Remus Lupin.

He looked formidable from such a height.

'Moonsie,' Sirius shouted as he entered. 'Where's my birthday kiss?'

Remus half turned and grinned when he saw the group at the door. He gently lowered down to the ground and beckoned Sirius over, throwing his arms around his friend and giving him an over dramatic kiss on the cheek.

'Happy happy happy birthday, Pads my sweetheart, and you've bought the lovely Hermione,' Remus must have been a little tipsy already for he threw his arms around Hermione as well.

'Hi,' she wheezed before she was released from the iron grip. Hermione pointedly looked around. 'You've done a fabulous job setting up!'

'Thanks. We've put in an awful lot of effort. Bought enough alcohol to sink a ship.'

Sirius winked at Remus and added in a quiet voice, 'Any marijuana?'

'Not after last time! Moody can be so mean!'

Sirius started laughing whilst Hermione looked at them both in utter confusion.

'We don't have to invite Prongs with us. He's so obvious, can't handle even one joint,' he chuckled. 'What drink would you like?' He asked Hermione softly. Then he turned to his dear friend. 'You too Lily!'

'I don't think I'll drink tonight,' she began but Sirius cut her off with a vehement shake of his head. Harry agreed with him and also began shaking his head.

'You have to! It's my birthday!' Sirius cried as he sloshed some whiskey into a glass and pressed it into Hermione's hand. He did the same for Remus and a slightly smaller amount for Lily. He knocked back his triple-shot of whiskey and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He must have missed a spot because Harry rose his hand to wipe off a drop Sirius had missed from his chin. 'Thanks pup,' he sung, kissing the boy's head. Then he looked at the red-haired witch and the drink that she had placed back on the table. 'Lils…' he began.

'Look, I'll drink later probably. But we still haven't even finished preparing everything. Leave me and Moony to finish up and you and Hermione should go for a tour of the manor, maybe the gardens as well. Guests will be arriving soon!'

Moony placed his glass back onto the table and grinned wolfishly at his friend. 'She's right. Go! Come back in twenty minutes and I reckon we should be done.'

Sirius sighed and huffed a hoarse 'thank you both' before promptly leading the way out of the main party room.

She stared at the small baby in his arms the whole time that they walked through the corridor. He was so small. She had almost forgotten how tiny babies were.

Sirius noticed where her eyes were glued and a very small smile graced his otherwise taut facial features. 'He's a lot smaller than you remember.' She nodded silently. 'You can hold him if you want.' Sirius murmured to her.

Before Hermione could anticipate, he was extricating his godson's fingers from his hair and was passing the tiny little boy over to her very carefully.

Harry was so tiny and weighed nothing, though Hermione wasn't sure exactly what else she had expected. He wasn't as relaxed in her arms as he had been in Sirius's but nor did the little boy struggle and expel air from his lungs at a great volume. He just stared at her with curiosity in his large green eyes. She grinned when he reached up to touch her chin.

'He's precious.'

'I know. The only reason I still chat to Prongs and Lils,' he joked, opening the garden door for her and Harry, following after and closing the door rather loudly. Hermione found herself drifting towards one of the many fountains nearby. There were two gigantic marble deers with water spewing out of their mouths, one with long antlers and the other was a much smaller head, bare of antlers but with a much nicer face. She sat at the edge and looked down at the baby she held. He was everything she did not expect of a baby Harry, though common sense must have dodged her at that point, for the answer was simple: this was a _different_ Harry. He was already clutching tightly to her hair and grinning widely at her, dribble sliding down the corners of his mouth. No timidity about him whatsoever.

And the fact that he was a baby...

'He's started to pull your hair. That means he must like you.' Hermione hadn't noticed Sirius take a seat beside her, nor did she notice the two fresh glasses and the bottle of whiskey on his other side.

'How do you think they'll take to me?'

'Depends. Are you good at Occlumency?' it must have been a serious question for the characteristic smirk was wiped clean from his face and those expressive eyebrows were at work again.

Hermione nodded. 'Very.'

'Then you've got nothing to worry about. If anyone does take an interest in you then it'll be very easy for you to put up a screen and protect everything that's going on inside your head.' He passed her the glass of whiskey then ruffled Harry's hair when the small boy reached for it. 'So Harry is your best friend?'

'Yes. He's very kind and he is especially selfless. He risks his life time and time again in my timeline to save people.'

Sirius bit his lip and cupped the back of the little boy's head when the baby started making mutterings. 'Ga ba ga…'

The silver eyed man smiled down at his godson fondly. 'Sounds familiar.'

'He's a great Quidditch player. He gets put on the team in First Year as Seeker.'

The smile turned canine and Sirius's pearly teeth were on wolffish display- a low humming laugh vibrating deep in his threat. 'That is rather fantastic. Of course I wouldn't expect anything else from him, isn't that right pup?'

'Gaaah ba ba-'

'Alright, no need to toot your own horn quite so much.'

Harry was reaching up now for a fist of Sirius's hair.

'So,' Hermione continued, 'you think we can do this?'

Sirius sipped from his glass. 'I'm positively certain that we can do this. Just don't let yourself get nervous, especially when Moody is around.'

She gulped nervously.

It was about half an hour later when the pair decided to reenter the dining hall, where Lily and Remus were indeed finished with their preparations. The whole effect of the hall was magical and Hermione looked around in awe at the great lengths Sirius's friends went for him. She reckoned it was worth it to try her hardest to ensure that Harry grew up with these people alive and present and available for him.

After all, to be surrounded by love was life's greatest gift.

* * *

This chapter was reposted because there were some pretty big problems with it, especially the dialogue. I apologise sincerely for how long I am taking to post the next chapter, I had a pretty nasty accident a couple of weeks before Christmas that left me with a broken arm and loads of fractured bones. I have made a full (mostly anyway) recovery and in the meantime have edited the whole story.

The next chapter should be up soon! Please leave a review and tell me what you think.

redrose xx


	7. a big small gathering

thanks so much for reading! pls help me improve the story by telling me what you think.

guest reviewers- thank you, i'm feeling a bit better. i hope you enjoy this chapter.

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TWENTY TURNS OF TIME

chapter seven : a big small gathering

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Hermione Granger had gone through an extraordinary transformation during the time she spent attending Hogwarts. She had changed from being a nervous, fearful, incredibly lonely girl to being a fierce bundle of courage and strength. Being best friends with Harry Potter inevitably meant that she was thrust into the throes of recklessness and danger far too often; whether it was protecting themselves from professors possessed by an evil Dark Lord stuck to the back of their heads, or whether it was being on the run from corrupt government officials and Death Eaters who had infiltrated the Ministry of Magic.

She knew she could play the innocent witch perfectly, but only if she was able to keep her shit together. That meant telling everyone the same thing because she knew how people gossiped, even more so in regards to her presence and hyper-visibility.

Hermione had packed a few small vials of Sobering Solution, so that she would not be left to socialise amongst a sure-to-be bustling crowd of people where intoxication could have detrimental effects on her memory, her characterisation of the Hermione she would present them with, as well as affecting her ability to filter the things that came out of her mouth, like possible "oh you look so much like my Harry" comments to James. She could not compare her Harry to this James at all, lest of all she get carted off to St Mungo's. Drunk gushing had to be avoided as well over formidable fighters like Meadowes, whom Sirius claimed would definitely be in attendance and would not "dare" to miss a birthday spectacle.

'Here you go,' a low voice said somewhere above her head. Hermione had been slouched over against one of the enormous windows staring very resolutely at her feet and quickly looked up. Warm golden brown eyes.

'Thank you,' she accepted the glass from Remus Lupin. He really did look healthier and happier (not to mention very handsome) when Hermione compared him to how he looked during her childhood. He had still been a charming man but worn, tired and a ghost of the man she saw now. Similarly to the Sirius from her timeline, he also did not look like a bag of bones! Furthermore, his hair was a radiant kaleidoscope of browns and golds and a little strawberry; no presence of premature greying whatsoever.

His face had a lot more colour in it and was not littered with scars like Hermione remembered. Just a few, like the one running through his left eyebrow, turning it into two. Quite an edgy look indeed.

She smiled at him again and he grinned widely back at her.

Remus sipped his rum and leant against the windowsill with her. They watched Sirius greeting the newcomers (James and the Longbottoms) exuberantly, kissing cheeks and hugging his friends excitedly. 'That's Alice and Frank Longbottom,' Remus murmured, sipping his half full glass of whiskey. 'They are both Aurors, although Alice has been off work for the last half year or so. She's a fantastic woman, she even battled criminals and fought Death Eaters whilst up the duff!'

Hermione raised an eyebrow and looked at the woman again. Short, slight despite having only given birth a few months ago, pale, a kind smile, with Neville's eyes burning brightly in her face as well.

'Whilst she was six months pregnant?' Hermione asked in bewilderment as she continued to stare at the brave woman.

'Oh yes. She's such a brilliant Auror that I don't think she could have gone so long off the field. They wouldn't be able to cope without her!'

The pair chuckled together, Hermione a little nervously.

'Fantastic woman, like I said,' he mumbled, taking another gulp of the spirit.

Hermione sucked in a breath. James Potter really did look precisely like his son; the same wide grin and wild hair.

She sipped the glass in her hand. 'So do you all know each other from Hogwarts?' She asked.

'Yes,' Remus replied with a quick nod of his head. 'We were in the same House together and were lucky enough to be put in the same dormitory as well, considering that there were quite a few Gryffindors that year so we ended up having two dormitories for the boys. It was us three and Peter; but he can't be here tonight.'

She found that quite interesting, wanting to pester more about the sneaky rodent and how on earth he could miss his best friend's twenty first birthday but she restrained herself. Remus didn't know that Peter wasn't really a friend anymore and now was in fact just a traitor.

'What about you; where did you go to school? I don't remember you being at Hogwarts but your accent says you're from around here...'

'I went to a Wizarding school in Portugal. I'm from Notting Hill and live on Ladbroke Grove but my mother originally comes from Portugal. That's how she met my father who had been on a business trip in Portugal.' She sipped her drink again. 'Both my parents are Muggles you see.'

He grinned even more widely at her. 'My mother is Muggle as well.'

'I never understood the obsession with blood purity that people seem to have in this country. Then I remember that I am also of biracial heritage and that makes people even angrier.'

Remus nodded along with her as he knocked back his drink and conjured the bottle to pour another considerably sized drink. 'It's the same with centaurs as well as people like me who are half-bloods. I think it infuriates the racist and prejudiced when they see people like you and I who unify two different races or blood-types. Damn bigots must hate the idea of a dirty Muggle marrying a beautifully pureblooded witch-'

She snickered and clinked her glass with his. 'I can imagine the damn bigots would perish at the thought!' Her words drifted off when she noticed that walking towards her was the identical twin of her best friend.

'Hermione, right?'asked James as he neared her.

She nodded quickly and grasped his outstretched hand. 'Glad you remember! It's a pleasure to meet you again James.'

The bespectacled Marauder grinned at her and then dragged Remus up for an exuberant embrace. James then proceeded to pinch his friend's glass of whiskey and take a sip. Remus just sighed and poured himself another with a wave of his crooked wand.

'Anyone seen Lily?'

'Oh of course,' cried Sirius, 'it's my birthday and all you want to do is find your lovely wife and abandon your friend, whose birthday it is, might I add.'

'I have eyes only for you on your birthday.'

'Of course you do.'

James snickered fondly and then reached over to dramatically ruffled Sirius's hair. 'Really though, I thought she was…' his voice quietened as he drifted off and a stupid smile spread across his face. Lily had clearly been spotted. She was leading a group of people into the large room and nestled in her arms was her baby. She wore a huge beam on her face as she ushered the large group of people in. Hermione could only pick out a few people that she recognised... like Dorcas Meadowes.

Her smile faltered as she took in the woman that had walked into the room and commanded all of the attention; so brazen and bold was she that Hermione could not focus on anyone else, at least not right then. Sirius had rushed over sometime during her deliberately careful scrutiny of the woman, and was hugging her excitedly, the hug wrenching Dorcas Meadowes' hand out of...

Marlene McKinnon's.

She felt her eyebrow lift as a wide smile unabashedly covered her face, just for a second, before she composed herself.

Surprise surged through her body. Hermione didn't know they had been partners, and considering that she extensively researched a lot about Order members, in particular fierce and powerful ones, she was disappointed in herself that she hadn't known about this.

Meadowes had a long neck with slender shoulders and an even more slender torso. Her legs were long and Hermione guessed she was a few inches taller than herself at _least_.

Sirius was hugging McKinnon now, who was a little shorter than Meadowes; more curvy and with long locks of light brown hair. Both women seemed to have quite forced smiles on their faces but Sirius must have said something for McKinnon's tinkering laugh to spread to them.

'Who are they?' Hermione asked Remus.

'The tall one is Dorcas Meadowes, one of the strongest fighters and cleverest witches from our generation. Beside her is Marlene McKinnon, who was in my year at Hogwarts.'

She turned back to look at them, pretending to not know what she did. Sirius had summoned some glasses and a bottle of rum, pouring messy drinks into the glasses. Then Meadowes pressed a small parcel into his hands when he was done and he hugged her excitedly again. The way his hand lingered around Meadowes' waist even after the hug ended left a few suggestions fluttering about in the air. But Hermione decided that she would not dwell on it any further, at least not now, and not whilst Meadowes' hand was back in McKinnon's.

'Come and say hi to the gang whilst the party is still quiet,' she heard Sirius saying loudly over Motorhead blaring in the background.

Another large group of people entered the birthday hall but these people, Hermione was assured, were a few friends of the Marauders from Hogwarts. They were from the same year as the Marauders and Lily, though not from Gryffindor, Hermione concluded after a thorough inspection. She remembered all of the people from Gryffindor within Sirius's time at Hogwarts, so either they were a lot older, a lot younger, or most likely, from one of the other houses (not Slytherin). A couple of people brought with them some wrapped objects and parcels but for the most part, just brought bright smiles and good vibes.

She had never seen Sirius Black so happy, with his cheeks a deep scarlet red from how widely he was smiling (also lipstick smudges) and how elated he was to be around people who cared so much about him. He was throwing back drink after drink and it had only been an hour or so since people started arriving. James was by his side now with a friendly arm thrown around Sirius's shoulders and a matching drink in his hand.

'Come and meet Dorcas and Marlene,' murmured Remus, successfully wrenching her out of a winding labyrinth of thoughts.

She pushed a thick, long plait off her shoulder and picked up the glass of spirit that was waiting on the windowsill then followed after Remus at a slow, leisurely pace.

'Remoo,' said Meadowes with a small smile creeping onto her face as she appraised first him and then Hermione. The smile grew wider. 'And who have you brought here with you?'

Hermione felt colour rising to her cheeks when McKinnon's eyes turned to her next; appraising her thoroughly, just like her girlfriend was doing. 'My name is Hermione,' she said quietly. She extended her hand. 'I came with Sirius actually, but he has abandoned me for James and that bottle of rum over there,' she pointed to a mostly-empty bottle that stood out from all the full ones.

Meadowes took her hand and gave her a firm shake. 'Great to meet you Hermione. I'm Dorcas Meadowes.' Her handshake was just as formidable as she was but just as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and she was now hugging Remus fiercely. They were muttering to one another under their breaths but Hermione turned her attention onto Marlene McKinnon.

The woman had a pretty face but not similarly to the way Dorcas's was or Lily's was; it held no fierceness, no fire... it was more innocent than what Hermione saw when she looked at the almost-aloof looking Lily Evans.

'Hi,' said McKinnon, extending a hand to Hermione's, all the while her eyes darting over the Muggleborn's face and body with a touch of awe. 'My name is Marlene, but call me Marls if you want.' She still held Hermione's hand in her soft one and then placed another hand over it. 'I don't remember you from Hogwarts and I definitely would.'

Seeping out of her body was all the anxiety and fear bundled up inside of her. She could do this. Of course she could! She was Hermione Granger; the witch with all the questions and all the answers. Her shoulders lifted a bit higher and she stood straight and let out a soft laugh.

'No, I went to school in Portugal but I'm from here, in case you were wondering about the clear lack of a Portuguese accent. Although, speaking to many of the people here, I kind of wish I did go Hogwarts now.' Her speech was fluid and flowed smoothly and serenely as she brushed over the story she had spent so long rehearsing. 'Sirius has told me much about you and Dorcas both.'

The tall, thin woman was still locked in an embrace with Remus and was listening to the eager words he was whispering into her ear.

Marlene smirked at that. 'Anything Black has said about us is utter bollocks-'

'Hey,' interrupted a voice and an arm was thrown casually around Hermione's shoulder. She looked up at the side of a cleanly shaved, chiselled jaw. 'It's my birthday, you can't bitch about me on my birthday! Besides, you know for a fact that it was actually _Potter_ who let slip that rumour in Sixth Year, definitely _not me_ in the slightest.'

'Potter as well then,' cackled Marlene. 'You are both just so completely full of it!'

The two friends were looking at each other as they collapsed into peals of laughter over some memory that Hermione was not privy to, but she appreciated their happiness nonetheless and made a mental note to ask Sirius for more information at a later date. She had always had an insatiable need to know.

'Did I hear my name?' asked a voice.

'You see McKinnon over here, she thinks that we were both responsible for that rumour back in Sixth Year but I kindly brought her up to date that it was in fact-'

The two dark-haired Marauders looked at each other and through facial expressions and Sirius's very expressive eyebrows alone, seemed to decide on the bellowed chorus of 'Moony' together.

'Yes,' asked Remus, turning to face them whilst Dorcas Meadowes slinked off from his side to rejoin Marlene and stand by her.

'So it was Lupin now and all? Next thing I know, you'll be blaming Pettigrew and we all know for a fact that he would not be so bold.' Marlene and the others did not seem to notice the iciness that all of a sudden consumed Sirius like a storm. His chiselled jaw was clenched and his nostrils flared whilst Dorcas began explaining a story as Head Girl where Pettigrew showed his dormant boldness.

Whilst the other four debated over who exactly revealed the rumour of Sixth Year that had supposedly terrorised McKinnon, Sirius leant down to murmur into Hermione's ear. 'Want to go and dance? I love this song.'

 _Kashmir, Led Zeppelin._

Hermione laughed uncontrollably as Sirius steered her to the "dance floor" or more accurately, the part of the dining hall that had been charmed a different colour (baby pink actually), and was also closest to the speakers. The floating lights and dancing rose petals twirled around Sirius, some embedding themselves into his messy, dishevelled bun; only now did she notice that a good portion of his thick head of hair had escaped the elastic shackles, curling around his ears and tendrils falling to frame his face. His cheeks were still pink from the excitement and heat of the hall. A few rose petals curled around Hermione as well and one even dipped itself into her half empty drink.

She was still on her second.

Sirius noticed as well and nudged her drink with his. 'A straight shot?'

'Yes,' she replied. 'I suppose a straight shot for the birthday boy is all I can manage.'

'After you then.' His eyes were slits from how huge his grin was. She tossed the drink back before she could contemplate and question whether she even had a vial of the Sobering Solution on her body, but when the drink slinked down her throat and she shivered automatically, Hermione decided she would worry after the dance. She could not act suspicious at all and constantly running off to retrieve her bag from where she had stowed it with her coat and Sirius's jacket.

A flash of straight white teeth and then Sirius knocked back his shot as well. He smacked his lips together with a self-satisfied, solicitous smirk and with a flick of his wand, vanished the two glasses. 'Come on then, let's dance.'

So they danced to their hearts content, shortly being rejoined by Remus and the cocktails hovering around him. Hermione plucked one from just above his shoulder and shouted her thanks, then jumped back into a wild jig as she screamed the lyrics to lovely Pink Floyd's _Another Brick in the Wall_ when the song filled their ears.

Sirius was a sight to behold; half his hair was still clinging to the small bun atop his head, but much of it was swinging around with him as he danced with a carefree grin covering his face. He seemed to have his own gravitational pull as well: James, Lily, Remus, Marlene, Dorcas, Benjy Fenwick, countless friends from Hogwarts or the Ministry of Magic were all on their feet. T'is what Pink Floyd were best at; getting people's blood boiling.

Remus and Sirius were dancing again together and Hermione decided they were probably two of the best dancers that she knew, and chuckled upon the thought of them at Notting Hill Carnival, surely upstaging many around them with their flirtatious hair flicking. Her eyes scanned over the people that she did not recognise or know, mostly dancing or getting themselves some drinks.

The temperature in the hall had started to make her feel flushed, so she hurried to one of the corners with a table full of drinks by it, pulled off her jumper and stashed it underneath the table, then poured herself a drink and prepared two more for Sirius and Remus who had finished theirs from the looks of it. The two men eagerly accepted the cocktails that Hermione had poured them from one of the pink pitchers and then invited her back into their dancing fold, this time with Marlene and Dorcas as well.

Within half an hour there were twice as many people; friends of friends or distant work associates, and the dining hall was alive with the number of people. People talking. People dancing. People playing dumb drinking games, like the Potters and the Longbottoms who were throwing balls into cups and cheering or booing each other in jest. People mixing drinks or rushing back into the dining hall from the garden from their smoking breaks because Lily had an absolutely No Smoking Whatsoever In This House policy.

She had not seen any more Order of the Phoenix members arrive whilst dancing with her new friends but before she even had a moment to ponder, Sirius was taking her hand and pulling her over to where it was more quiet and less thriving-bodies.

'Want to come out with me for a cigarette?'

'I don't-'

'I know you don't. Just that I want the company and the opportunity to brush up on some things.' He lead the way out of the hall, past some stragglers on their way up the grand staircase on their right, probably towards the toilet, and quickly opened the garden door. Hermione closed it behind herself and when she looked back at Sirius, he had already whipped out a cigarette and had a flame hovering above his thumb.

It was just them in the garden. _Perfect timing._

'I vaguely remember you saying this would be a small gathering.'

Sirius barked a laugh at her with a puff of smoke. 'I lied. Maybe a big small gathering would be more accurate.'

'Definely more of a big small gathering than an _actual_ small one. There's so many people.' She drifted off.

'Most of them are just friends from school or people I know from work. But listen to this, Dumbledore and Moody should be coming soon. I think you should spark some stimulating conversation with Dumbledore whilst Moody pokes me with his walking stick and throws humiliating insults at me on my birthday.' A large puff of smoke filled the chilly, still air; lightening and fading by the second.

'Right,' she mumbled, playing with one of her long plaits and worrying her bottom lip. 'I'm a bit nervous...'

He threw her a cheeky smile. 'It's alright to be. Although perhaps we should get all the nerves out of you with some more dancing-' he drifted off when they heard an explosion of noise coming from the dining hall. Sirius walked around so he was stood in front of the enormous windows of the hall, looking in at the bustling people, chatting friends and dancing Moony. A blond head of hair was surrounded by many of the party goers and Sirius raised an eyebrow. 'Merlin's balls, I didn't think he would...'

'What?' Hermione asked as she walked around to join him. She saw the same huddle of people around one tall blond head, though the face was turned away from her and Sirius, so she could not quite see who it was.

'Who is that?'

'Caradoc-'

'Dearborn!' she breathed as the man himself turned to hug some more people.

Sirius had already thrown the cigarette to the ground, there was at least half left, if not a little more, but when she looked back Sirius was already wrenching open the garden door. 'Come on!' he beckoned her forward and slipped through the door after her. 'I'll introduce you ... he's a champion of a guy, a really really great person..' he drifted off when he entered the positively brimming hall.

Sirius started laughing uncontrollably, so when Hermione peaked over his shoulder, she noticed something nestled in Dearborn's arms that she had not seen from the window.

'Sirius fucking Black.'

It was a stuffed animal. A giant shaggy black dog to be exact.

'Cari,' said the dark-haired man with perhaps the brightest beam. 'You shouldn't have.'

The two men shared a fierce, back-slapping hug with guffaws. And a large teddy stuck between them.

'It's wonderful to see you, I didn't expect you to come.'

Hermione analysed the man that she had heard and read much about. He was an Auror and a member of the Order as well; had been a dedicated freedom-fighter for the Order and rained down fury on Death Eaters and sympathisers alike; he had disappeared before the end of the war, never managing to see the end of the war that he had fought so courageously for. Hermione had never known that he was a clearly important friend of Sirius's, though what else did she expect considering that both men spent a huge amount of time together. Hermione would have to remember to consult her notes but if she remembered correctly, Sirius and Caradoc may have even worked in the same cell in the Auror Division.

Despite her alcohol addled mind, the scenarios of ever telling Sirius who would die in the Order crossed her mind. She shook her head whilst, a metre or so away, Sirius hugged the huge dog that Caradoc had gotten him.

It looked a great deal like Snuffles, now she thought about it... and could not have been a coincidence...because of course-

 _Caradoc Dearborn knew that Sirius was an Animagus._

She felt humiliated. How had she not known that Sirius and Dearborn were close friends; close enough that they revealed extra-special secrets to one another? Even Dumbledore had not known that Sirius was an Animagus until right at the end of her Third Year at Hogwarts.

'-met on Halloween, her name is Hermione,' Sirius finished, flourishing an arm as if to present his new friend. He looked quite eager to introduce them.

She felt stunning blue eyes swivel to study her.

'Good evening Hermione,' said the lanky blond man. His eyes flickered back to meet hers and he broke into a charming smile. 'My name is Caradoc and I am very charmed to meet you.'

Her hand shot out to meet his and he swooped down to kiss it, almost sending her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. She cleared her throat to give herself a second to compose herself. 'I am very charmed to meet you as well. You have brought an impressive teddy for Sirius.'

 _Impressive teddy?_ She needed to get her foot out of her mouth before it did anymore damage.

The man was clearly charmed for he gave her a polite chuckle in response. His dazzling eyes were back on her. 'I scoured much of Central London looking for one this big and shaggy; had to find a present which reminds me of the birthday boy, right?'

It was her turn to chuckle. 'Definitely.'

Sirius returned just as quickly as he had left with a drink for Caradoc. 'We work in the same Auror Division Cell. Our desks are actually opposite one another after Moody moved Potter for distracting me too much.'

'I would say you both distracted each other pretty equally,' Caradoc mumbled around the drink in his mouth. 'By the way Black, are you _trying_ to get me wasted from one drink?'

'No-' giggle, 'just trying-' giggle, 'to get you-' giggle giggle, 'half way there!' a series of relentless giggles.

'More like trying to get me trollied for the week! This is at least ninety per cent spirit-'

''I'll go and make you a much better one,' the bushy haired woman murmured. She turned away before Caradoc could continue dissecting her with his eyes or before he could protest.

The drinks table closest to her was already a bit of a mess. Sloppy pourers had coated the table in a thin sheen of spirits or mixers. She poured herself some lemonade and in the second cocktail glass, poured a shot of whiskey, a shot of vodka and filled it up with lemonade. Whilst she worked, she berated herself.

Maybe she should have a vial of Sobering Solution so she could stop worrying herself silly about her fatal flaw-

Sirius was seemingly _close_ friends with Caradoc Dearborn, a man who was destine to die in several months time. She could not change the timeline. She knew she couldn't, but a vital part to making this whole plan work was getting Sirius fully on her side. Would he turn against her if his friend died and she did nothing to prevent it? He knew of the extensive research she had conducted in preparation for her time travel Furthermore, was it even necessary for Caradoc to perish in the first place? What about people like McKinnon and Meadowes? Would he want to save them as well? Or Edgar Bones? Benjy Fenwick? Fabian and Gideon Prewett?

'Are you alright Hermione?'

She looked up and forced her face to relax when her eyes met concerned grey ones. 'Yes, it's nothing, I just think I shouldn't drink anymore right now. I'm feeling...' _like an absolute berk_ _?_ '...feeling a little anxious.'

'That's okay, let's deliver this to Dearborn and then maybe chat for a bit. He wasn't meant to be back for a couple more weeks. He was off doing some information-collecting for the Order so I really didn't think he would be coming.'

She followed after Sirius to where Caradoc was placing the giant dog on the table that was already overflowing with gifts and cards.

'So how do you two know each other?' she asked Caradoc when he turned to face the pair. 'Or is it just from work?'

'I was in the year above him at Hogwarts. We were in the Gryffindor House together as well.'

'Don't forget that we were on the Quidditch Team together tool, we both filled the positions of the House Beaters.'

'How could I forget? You...'

Scanning over Dearborn's face, Hermione noticed a few rampant scars, but unlike Remus's, these were very recent and still seemed quite sore-looking. She rose an eyebrow but dropped it immediately when Caradoc turned to her.

He sipped his cocktail and ducked his head at her. 'Thank you for the cocktail. It is quite lovely and much tastier.'

'I didn't hear any complaints when you were chugging it down.' Sirius giggled as he drank from his own glass.

'I don't remember you from Hogwarts.' Caradoc's expression seemed quite puzzled. Then, as if a light went off in his head, he smiled politely at her again. 'Unless you studied somewhere abroad?'

'Portugal. The Evoran School of Magic. I'm from London though, in case you were wondering about the accent...' she drifted off when the atmosphere changed and the buzzing party seemed to halt for a moment...

The music quietened, the dancing bodies slowed, the steady stream of conversation died down and a blanket of silence wrapped around all of the occupants of the hall.

The first man had a walking stick, no mad eye as of yet, but definitely a mad maze of cuts across his face. In place of his missing leg was a wooden one. He had a pretty evil smile on his face as he limped over to where Hermione, Sirius and Caradoc stood.

Behind the Head of the Auror Department and one of the key thinkers of the Order, was the creator of the vigilante group, a headmaster, the only man feared by Lord Voldemort. His piercing blue eyes stood out like sapphires in his face; half-moon spectacles perched on the end of an otherwise long, crooked nose; his thick beard a little shorter than she remembered it.

Hermione felt her nerves rise to the surface instantly and she closed her mouth before any noise could escape her.

'Well would you look at who it is?' she vaguely registered a very familiar voice teasing at the newcomers.

She straightened up and pushed her plaits behind her shoulder. She could do this... maybe she needed a vial if her nerves failed to recede back to wherever they came from, but she was Hermione Granger, the girl who managed to bend the unbendable against all odds.

What were two old wizards to worry about?

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please leave a review, they make me update faster!

red painted rose xx


	8. mission to have fun

author's note: i do not own anything

hello lovely people, sorry for the 2 month wait i hope to have the next chapter uploaded much sooner. please let me know what you think xx

* * *

TWENTY TURNS OF TIME

chapter eight : mission to have fun

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Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (a mouthful of a name) was arguably the best wizard in the western world, certainly in the continent of Europe, if not holding an influence that spanned globally. He had defeated Grindelwald in one of the world's most legendary duels back in 1945, consequently imprisoning Grindelwald in his own fortress up until his yet-to-happen death at the hands of another dark lord: Lord Voldemort.

Dumbledore was as formidable and powerful as wizards and witches came to be, Hermione supposed. He was the man with all the answers. The man who was the sole source of fear for Dark Lords like Grindelwald and Voldemort. Not to mention, he contained an extraordinary amount of self-control; living as the wielder of the Elder Wand for over fifty years and managing to satisfy himself with the position of Headmaster at Hogwarts and nothing else. Whereas most would have taken up the countless offers to be the Minister for Magic, as Hermione knew he had been given the opportunity at least thrice by now.

The headmaster was a very strange man as well though, which she hoped that she would be able to dissect and understand more thoroughly now that she would engage in a much more personal relationship with him. He would surely leap at the opportunity to know someone who had broken the unbreakable Laws of Time, someone who had assigned herself the task to right what had gone wrong in her timeline. Someone with _knowledge and power_ not like the amount he had, but just as vast and impressionable.

The music had restarted, but was quieter, or maybe her heartbeat was just too loud, she wasn't sure. Hermione could see James and Lily dancing once more together, murmuring quietly into each other's ears and shooting looks at the newcomers and the birthday boy.

'You should come with me,' Sirius said, leading the way to the drinks table and pouring neat shots of whiskey into two small glasses. 'We can greet them, depart to dance and then return to them…I think that's better than engaging in conversation straight away.'

Hermione turned to appraise Dumbledore and Moody again and was surprised to see Remus and Caradoc Dearborn chatting with the two heads of the Order of the Phoenix. Remus and Dumbledore's conversation seemed to be particularly animated, with passionate body language and a few chuckles.

'Off we trot then.' Sirius carried the two glasses and had his own hovering over his shoulder. 'Here you go Professor, Moody,' Sirius said with a wide smile as he stood next to his fellow Marauder, opposite the two older men, and held out the two whiskeys.

Moody turned at the sound of Sirius's voice and his wand was out in a second. He shot a Stinging Hex at Sirius and the birthday boy promptly dropped the two glasses and let out a high-pitched shriek when he was hit by the bolt of Moody's rage. It was the fast reflexes of his best friend that saved the whiskeys from being wasted. Sirius however had lost all motor function and promptly collapsed in a heap at Moody's feet. He looked up and blew the hair out of his face, evidently sore and disgruntled. He hopped to the balls of his feet and held up his hands in surrender.

'Merlin's balls Moody, did you have-'

Sirius was not even permitted the small privilege of finishing his sentence, for Moody had already flourished his wand once more. With a thundering crash he sent the young man dropping to the floor when the evil Moody's hex tickled the life out of him. this time his high-pitched shrieks morphed into high-pitched giggles. Tears sprung to his wide grey eyes as his body contorted into any and every position imaginable.

'Enough, Alastor,' began the old professor, but the Head of the Auror Division chose not to listen to his comrade, instead leaning over to speak to Sirius with such venom coating his words that Hermione nearly shivered.

The man with scars all over his face hissed his words with a deliberate slowness, taking his time to contemplate and collect his thoughts carefully, turning every word over in his mouth for testing, over-pronunciation decorating each syllable; all the while Sirius continued to writhe in painful glee. After all, laughing so much hurt so much as well.

'The only reason I haven't hexed your bollocks off is because it is your birthday. But if you miss work again and don't have a legitimate reason then I will make you pay.' The tickling ceased and Sirius leapt to his feet instantly.

'Potter,' he panted, 'is a shit friend who was chatting absolute rubbish. I never missed work for-' he turned to look at Remus who was restraining a smile, 'for _that,_ I do possess some self-control.'

Now Remus was whispering in Dearborn's ear and Hermione did not like the way that the man's face underwent the extraordinary journey of realisation slowly dawning on him.

'…don't care in the slightest Black. You're lucky you're not the most useless tosser in the department or I would have fired your arse.'

The shots of whiskey were deposited into Dumbledore and Moody's hands by an ecstatic Remus. Hermione tried not to notice the way that Dearborn was looking at her with renewed interest.

'Thank you for coming,' Sirius said, grasping Dumbledore's hand. When he took back his hand he noticed a tightly wrapped bag filled to the brim with-

'Sherbet Lemons! Oh Professor, you shouldn't have,' Sirius cried. He took a couple out and handed one to the bushy haired woman beside him.

'Oh, it's no bother. I have a supply that will keep me satisfied for the next century at least.' His beard was shorter than Hermione remembered it, though not by much. He still looked pretty much the same though perhaps with a smaller amount of wrinkles and eyebrows not as furrowed.

As if sensing her inspection of him, the old professor turned to appraise her. His piercing blue eyes met and locked on to hers.

Hermione's eyes were quite interesting; sometimes a beautiful brown, sometimes hazel, but now they were dark and hooded. They were framed by an enviably thick fringe of enviably thick lashes. This made her eyes appear even darker and more hooded. She twirled the end of one of her French braids as she allowed the professor to inspect her.

A glass zoomed past her head and settled into Sirius's outstretched hand. She had not noticed during Moody's attack that his own drink had spilt and shattered on the floor. She must have drawn attention to this because Sirius waved his wand and the broken glass and spilt drink vanished instantly.

Hermione looked back up and Dumbledore was still watching her with a patient smile but inquisitive nonetheless. 'Good evening,' the old wise man began, extending his hand. She took it and gave his hand a firm shake. 'My name is Albus Dumbledore. I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting you.'

'Hello Professor, my name is Hermione.' She replied softly. 'I have heard so much about you.'

'Only good things, I hope.' There was a twinkle in his otherwise piercing eyes. It was incredible for Hermione to be in his presence…she was mostly sure that he would help her. After all, Dumbledore had always admired her and she suspected that he would appreciate her doing this for the good of the Wizarding World. So what if it were done through less savoury channels such as time travel. Furthermore, Hermione had at her flat a seemingly endless report specifically for Dumbledore, and Moody if the professor thought appropriate.

She planned on acquiring Dumbledore's allegiance after she got Remus's though, as the younger man was more of a priority, according to paragraph three of the fourth page of one of her carefully planned and well-constructed report.

'Certainly good things! The only person Sirius seemed to think I should be warned about,' her voice lowered and she nodded at Moody who was arguing with the young Aurors, 'was him.'

The old professor started laughing and he sipped his glass of whiskey. 'I don't think you have anything to worry about when it comes to Alastor. Mr Black and Mr Potter have a very unique and special relationship with him compared to most people.'

She sipped from her glass again and her eyes flickered up to meet Dumbledore's once more. 'I don't recognise you from Hogwarts but your accent suggests that you are indeed from London…' the question was left hanging in the air.

'I'm from Ladbroke Grove in West London but spent my academic years studying in Portugal, I'm Angolan and Portuguese you see. I went to the Evoran School of Magic but…' she drifted off and looked at Sirius and Remus, both men dissolving into giggles at something Moody huffed at them. 'But I wish I went to Hogwarts. Something tells me that I missed out on a great deal.'

Dumbledore had a brooding smile on his face as he nodded along. 'I think the fact that you have been able to experience magical life in Portugal and Britain has allowed you to develop a much broader, wiser perspective though. One must always look for the silver lining after all.'

'I definitely enjoyed the weather. Even during Christmas, more often than not it would be hot and bright outside. I do love the warmth.'

'Perhaps one day you should visit Hogwarts. It is in a marvellous location and is quite the magical school as well. Whilst it isn't quite as warm as Portugal, Scotland is quite a sight during the winter.'

'Sirius told me that you are the Headmaster of Hogwarts. I have always had an endless amount of respect for those who choose to teach.'

The twinkle in his piercing blue eyes had returned. 'It is quite a challenging profession, not in the same way as it is challenging to be an Auror for example. To teach first means that one has to teach themselves how to understand the many different characters that there are in students: the ones who want to learn, those who are not concerned with learning, those who are lazy, troubled and so forth.'

'So where would you put me, Professor?' An arm was casually thrown around Hermione's shoulders and she covered her wide beam with her glass.

It was all going _so well!_

Sirius's friends and work colleagues did not seem surprised that he had invited a new friend to his party. Moreover, most of the party goers were not even members of the Order.

Dumbledore grinned at the pair of them. 'Well Sirius, whilst you were a pain to teach for many of your teachers, the biggest concern they all had was that you were lazy. You had to be pushed to achieve even close to your maximum potential. Unless it was Defence Against the Dark Arts, in which case you did not have to be pushed quite so much.'

'Could I blame Potter again or will that not work?'

The headmaster shook his head fondly. 'No it will not. Especially because he always tries the same trick. So tell me, how did you and Miss Hermione become friends?'

She automatically noticed the way in which his eyebrows shifted a little closer together in question.

Sirius knocked back the rest of his drink whilst he momentarily mulled over his answer. 'Well Professor, I guess we could start with Halloween. I met Hermione at this Muggle pub near the Camden High Street. There was this rave of a party going on in there, because as you know Professor, Muggle music is so much better for partying!'

'Oh, so you've only known each other for a short while?'

'We have spent every day together since. I have found a kindred spirit in Hermione. Especially when I accidentally-'

'Drunkenly,' she contributed.

' _Drunkenly_ used magic to light a cigarette in front of her. Although I really didn't think you were looking,' Sirius added.

'To be entirely honest Sirius, I don't think you really cared considering how drunk you were.' Hermione ruffled his messy hair and turned her eyes back onto Dumbledore. 'Sirius and I were actually talking today about how many magical people there must be in Muggle institutions.'

'It's quite interesting merely because magical folk don't flaunt their abilities around Muggles, so there is usually no way of knowing without spell work.'

'In Angola, where my mother is originally from,' Hermione began, 'there are certain communities which actually know about magical folk and mix with them deliberately to help spread magic.'

Dumbledore was nodding in fascination. 'That is incredible. I know that many different countries outside of Europe have different policies with Muggles than we do.'

'I was reading about how it is illegal to mix with Muggles in America, which I think is so backwards.' Sirius contributed as his hand silently reached over to take Hermione's glass and sip from it.

'Oh certainly,' Dumbledore began. 'I think wizards and witches who mix with non-magical people are given a lengthy sentence in the States and their Muggle partners are Obliviated, even if there are children involved. That's why the US has such a small number of half-bloods.'

Hermione was just about to respond when the music was turned up and a new vibe was brought into the room; some legendary 60s reggae/ska. Hermione would have to find out who was responsible for putting together a brilliant playlist.

'I love Toots and the Maytals,' Hermione murmured softly. 'I'm going over there to dance.'

'I'll join you,' said Sirius.

'I expect I shall see you later on then,' the old man replied with a kind smile on his face. Without warning, a bottle of mead flew over to where they stood and began to pour itself into first Sirius's glass and then Dumbledore's. 'You must try this Elf Mead,' said Dumbledore. Another glass appeared and he handed it to Hermione.

Sirius nodded his thanks and clinked his glass with both of theirs before he jovially bumped his elbow against Hermione's non-occupied arm. 'Let's dance.'

The music got exponentially louder the closer they got to the dancing area filled with at least two dozen people.

Hermione had only known Sirius less than a week and already had fallen in love with his dancing. He had this enviable smirk on his handsome, sweating face, with some tendrils dangling from a newly and hastily reformed bun. His whole person came out of him with each dance move and it was almost like an electric current that attracted all the pretty things in the room was wrapped around him: rose petals flew over to swish and twirl around the birthday boy. Then… Hermione noticed that James, Lily and Remus were around another person, sharing hugs and grinning widely at this mystery person whose back was facing her.

She continued dancing even when she saw who was standing in front of James, Lily and Remus. Her heart crumbled when her large eyes rested on the blond traitor that was Peter Pettigrew. He looked chubbier than she remembered him in her time, though of course he wasn't living as a rat and half-starved. He was only a couple of inches taller than Lily, much much wider, and with the pinkest cheeks Hermione had ever seen. He had watery blue eyes and a nervous smile.

Perhaps he had just come from a secret meeting with Malloy and Lestrange, which was what was rendering him so anxious and worried. Or perhaps he was just naturally like that.

She turned to look at Sirius; the birthday boy, who was so happy, so elated that he was surrounded by his friends, with his wild dance moves and flamboyant hair flicking, Hermione loathed to bring him crumbling down. But she had to tell Sirius now or else he could explode in front of dozens of people and there was nothing she could do about it.

She had _really_ hoped that Peter Pettigrew would not show up, but here he was.

Hermione threw her arms around Sirius and hugged his body tight to hers. He was startled for a brief moment before his own arms came around her waist to hug her; hesitant at first, then tight.

'Pettigrew has just arrived, standing with Lily, James and Remus. Do not look up at them! Good… I can feel their eyes on us.' She hissed in his ear. Suddenly, the arms wrapped around her squeezed her small frame much tighter and she felt a sharp jaw fall to her shoulder as he buried his face there.

She felt his whole body trembling as he shook, but he was all around her and consuming her with his long arms, that even she started to shake as well.

'Hmph…'

Hermione tried to push off the Anxiety Blanket that very nearly succeeded in wrapping snugly around her and tried to suffocate her. She just spent a minute or two with him, whilst he calmed his thoughts and composed himself. Sirius was a smart man; he knew that with Moody and Dunbledore's presence, they absolutely could not fuck up.

Fucking up would include kicking Peter's head off and torturing him until he exploded. The dark haired man still hadn't gotten over the fact that one of his oldest friend's betrayed and irrevocably brought about the deaths of James and Lily. Not only that but Wormtail had caused Harry to become an orphan, left to nurse his own infant wounds in the hands of those that resented him. Those that did not care about his wellbeing, his mental and physical health, his happiness…

As for him…

Wormtail had put him to rot in the ruthless hands of the Dementors for thirteen years; a sentence that would have been infinitely longer if Sirius had not broken himself out. He knows that the Sirius from Hermione's time was a broken replica of him now.

If Hermione had not been here then they would be none the wiser to the deceit and despair lying one year ahead. Sirius got so angry just-

'This isn't the time for anger Sirius.' Hermione's voice was incredibly kind, calm, striving to soothe rather than spur his rage. 'It's not the place as well.' Her hands rubbed his back consolingly. 'Just let yourself be sad for a moment and breathe deeply.'

He followed her instructions quickly with all of the effort his body could muster. He knew that now was not the time or the place; recognised that this would be difficult but he could do it. Pretending that his relationship with Peter has remained unchanged and untarnished could not be so difficult for Sirius.

He could _do this._

Sirius murmured into her neck where his face was now buried. 'Gggn…'

'What?' She asked in utter confusion.

His face buried itself deeper into the crook of her neck. 'Have you got some Sobering Solution?'

She resisted the urge to ask how on earth "gggn" translated to that, but instead said 'yes, would you like some?'

'I'm not sure. I feel like if I'm drunk then I might just pummel him to death. But if I'm sober that I might just curse him to death instead.'

'Well get deciding if you want some soon Sirius because we're starting to court quite a lot of attention.' She mumbled back to him. 'I also have Polyjuice in my bag Sirius...as a last resort. I could always-'

'Who the fuck invited him?' Sirius seethed into her ear.

She calmly rubbed his back and decided to ignore his comment, for the answer was blindingly obvious: one of the Marauders or Lily must have done so.

'Sirius, the Sobering or the Polyjuice? I could always just turn into you…you could pretend to take me home or something…'

He sighed heavily. 'No, that's not necessary. I'm really drunk. I don't have to chat to him for longer than a brief greeting and then can just go back to dancing. He would be none the wiser, he won't suspect anything of it. He's quite dumb, really.'

She resisted the urge to tell him that Peter had hidden his true allegiance from the Order for almost two years. He clearly could not have been as stupid as he was made out to be.

Sirius lifted his head up and huffed, sending tendrils of Black flying up out of his face before they promptly fell back down to cover it. His eyes were trained to hers and she noticed an iciness that had glazed and graced him: his eyes were colder, his mouth set in a taut pout, his eyebrows drawn closely together in concentration.

'You're a good actor Sirius, you can do this.'

'I'm going to have to…'

'PADFOOT!' James roared from the other side of the hall. 'You've got a visitor!'

'Aren't I?'

The smiling faces of the group of four must have sent Sirius into a state of semi-consciousness, where he was able to push all of his pent up anger and disappointment to the back of his mind. A slow, surreptitious smile flickered across his weary face.

'Wormtail,' Sirius said when he reached them. He accepted Peter's jovial handshake but ended it quite quickly. 'You're late.' His voice was slurred which immediately struck Hermione as odd – it had not slurred before…

The short blond man gave a nervous laugh and shook his head. 'I'm awfully sorry, my mother was in quite a state today so I didn't want to leave her until she felt a bit better.'

Lily rubbed Peter's shoulder, 'I'm really sorry to hear that Peter. I hope your mum feels better in the morning.'

'She just gets so exhausted and distressed.'

'There is a new formula for the Pepper-Up Potion that works much better than the previous ones. It actually restores drained energy much faster and more efficiently. I can make your mother a batch in the next couple of days.'

'That would be great Lily, thank you.' Peter's eyes shifted onto Hermione and he sent her a smile. 'I remember you! We met at the pub on Halloween right?'

She extended her hand and warmly grasped his. 'Yes, yes we did. It's lovely to see you again Peter. I am very sorry to hear that your mother is not well.'

The young man shrugged. 'It's alright. She's been sick for quite a while.'

'Anyway,' Sirius interrupter loudly. 'Hermione and I are off to dance. We shall see you later, or on the dance floor…' he smiled widely at his friends and hurried off to the dancing area with Hermione quick in his tow.

'You were fantastic.'

'I was staring at you most of the time.' He replied in a clipper voice, without a slurred word in sight. 'Let's just dance and not think about him.'

Sirius's dancing was renewed with a gusto that Hermione had not yet seen before. He had taken off his top, in the sweltering room, and was filled with musical mirth, singing along to all the lyrics.

Hermione could not resist her eyes exploring his torso, with a few tattoos that she could barely make out in the dimmed lighting of the dancing area. She grinned when she saw the owl beak tattoo on his shoulder that he had told her about. It was quite adorable! There were other tattoos which looked really quite beautiful on his skin; contrasting pale whiteness with the black ink of the body art. Whilst she couldn't make most of them out, there was one which particularly stood out.

It was a tiny little puppy with droopy ears and shimmering black fur. The dog was spectacular to look at, licking its fur and rubbing its nose against its paws. Hermione had only just noticed that a couple of the tattoos were alive

Beneath the tattoos were hard, firm muscles that shimmered in the faint light. Sirius had defined muscles in his abdomen and with beads of perspiration rolling down them, it was quite appealing to rest her eyes on. The rose petals swirled around him and only him, like they knew it was his birthday. A few even rubbed against what Hermione now made out to be a rose, so small and quaint and pretty, inked just an inch or two below his collarbone. There were some more petals embedded in his thick bun and she decided he really was such a handsome fellow.

Sirius sent her a dazzling smile and took her hand, twirling her around on the spot before he fell into place besides her and put a gentle hand on her waist. Their dance moves were naturally coordinated and when she looked up at him, she saw that his eyes were closed, his lips formed a delicious pout and…

She was way too drunk to be this near to him. His body was so firm and was glazed with a thin sheen that he looked like he was sparkling. What was even more spectacular than the look of his body in such dim lighting was the _smell._ He smelt like aftershave and musk and smoke mixed into a delicious cocktail of fragrance.

A lithe body slipped over to them with some drinks hovering around his lovely sandy blond head.

'It's your birthday,' Remus shouted in his friend's ear. 'There should not be a single moment where your hands are empty!'

Then he passed a drink to Hermione and she gladly accepted, Sirius having polished her drink off sometime ago. Hermione's eyes lit up when she tasted the lovely mix of coconut, rum and pineapple liqueur. _Just her favourite cocktail ever…_

'How did you know?' She bellowed at Remus, struggling to ensure she was heard.

'Know what?'

'I _love_ piña coladas!'

He sent her a cheeky wink. 'So do I!'

Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadowes moved closer to the trio as they danced and the party vibe was so brilliant that Hermione knew Peter could not bring it down. Even Dumbledore was doing a well-executed jig at the drinks table with the Longbottoms whilst they seemed to explain something of dire importance to their older mentor.

It was a while afterwards, when Hermione's body ached from dancing so hard for such a length of time, that she patted left the group of Marauders to head over to the table filled with drinks and snacks. Whether the bottles were self-replenishing or someone (probably Lily or Remus) kept hurrying off to restock, Hermione wasn't sure.

She assembled herself a veggie hotdog and squeezed some ketchup on it. She took a big bite and when she swallowed that, proceeded to devour the whole thing like she had not eaten in weeks. Food soaked up the alcohol that was already sitting and brewing in her stomach. It also soaked up the hunger however only served to emphasise quite how hungry she was.

'The sausages are my favourite thing about the night…'

Hermione looked up to see that it was Caradoc Dearborn who had spoken. He had forgone the bun and ketchup and was just eating a plain and naked veggie sausage. He had a wicked smile on his face and sent Hermione a particularly dashing wink.

'Oh yes. They're quite scrumptious.' She wiped the corner of her mouth with a piece of tissue then wandlessly vanished it. This sent Dearborn's eyebrows rocketing up into his hairline but he did not comment. He struck Hermione as the sort of man who put special details into a special compartment in his head, stored away in case he needed to call upon it.

'Are you enjoying the party?'

She nodded as she poured some cold water into a glass. 'Very much so. Sirius has already become a good friend of mine so it's quite an honour to be let into his circle to meet all his friends.'

'I bet he has not spoken of me to you.' Dearborn seemed so sure.

She shrugged. 'He's spoken of a lot of his friends. Forgive me if I've forgotten which ones specifically.'

He chuckled in subdued amusement, all the while continuing to dissect her with his eyes. 'How did the two of you meet again?'

Hermione knew he had not forgotten. 'In Camden.'

Dearborn's eyebrows twitched. 'How, not where…'

Now it was Hermione's eyebrows which quivered but she kept a smile plastered on her face, despite the creeping Anxiety Blanket that threatened her order. 'I-I recently moved to Camden and went to celebrate Halloween in the local pub, where Sirius proceeded to attempt to chat me up but really, he just drunk babbled and danced instead.'

'To think, it was only a few days ago, yet you both interact with one another as though it has been far longer.'

Hermione's smile subverted into a questioning frown and just as she was about to ask him what that meant, the music was turned down and there was a screaming chorus of:

'HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!'

She turned quickly to look at Sirius who was being wished a happy birthday and embraced by several, though James's arm seemed to be permanently around his fellow pure blooded Marauder.

'Yes, well,' Hermione began but she drifted off when she saw watched Peter attempt to get closer to Sirius, who was swathed in friends embracing him or clapping his shoulder.

She knew that she had to distract Peter, knowing that it was better he remained far away from Sirius at all costs.

'If you'll excuse me, I have been trying to chat with Peter all night.' She hurried over to where Peter stood and just when he was about to slip past Frank Longbottom and be that much closer to the grey-eyed wizard, Hermione seemingly appeared out of nowhere and tapped him on the shoulder. Peter swung around and his bright blue eyes burned into hers.

'Hello?' He murmured in more of a question than a greeting.

'Hi Peter, I'm sorry we couldn't talk much back then, I was really looking forward to chatting more but Sirius had other ideas.'

The blond man chuckled nervously and shifted on his feet as he turned to fully face her. 'Haha I know what he's like when it comes to music. There is little that can separate Sirius from a good song and the opportunity to dance.' His voice did not necessarily quiver but it seemed strangely unstable and unrelaxed. This was further corroborated by another nervous chuckle.

She smiled warmly at him and tried to ignore the fact that she was standing in front of a fake friend; smiling at this fake _bad_ friend. How he could live with himself, even now at the budding of his betrayal of his brothers, he continued to act like nothing had changed, most notably his allegiance to them. It made her sad to know that war could tear even the closest of friendships apart.

'I heard that you work in the Ministry of Magic. That is incredible Peter!'

His cheeks pink red and it was almost endearing how ready to burst with pride he was. 'Thank you very much. It's really not that incredible though. I'm not an Auror or anything. I'm just an assistant for one of the Heads of Departments.'

'Which one?' She asked slowly, seeing Sirius out of the corner of her eye make his way towards the doors with Remus, no doubt for a cigarette. She felt herself calm significantly with that but persisted with the task of distracting Peter as thoroughly as possible, at least until she came up with a better plan.

'The International Magical Trading Standards Body.'

She rose an arched eyebrow. 'That sounds fascinating. Could you tell me a bit about it?'

He nodded eagerly, limp locks of pale blond ruffling with the movement. 'Oh yes but do tell me if I start to bore you with it.'

She smiled and he launched into an explanation of his basic duties. The job sounded simple enough with most of his work involving filing important paperwork and attending meetings to take minutes because, as Peter emphasised, he was quite adept at listening and scrawling summarised notes quickly.

After a couple of minutes just filled with Peter fervently informing her of all the special sorts of meetings he was allowed to sit and take notes in, such as the one the day before where a few Ministry officials met with some delegates sent from America, Hermione fished for more information and asked the innocuous question of:

'When do you next have work?'

His smile turned sheepish. 'In about six hours. I hate how early the starts are sometimes but there's some issues going on with trade around Europe at the moment.' Then Peter looked around hopefully for his dark haired friend. 'I was actually on my way out when you approached me. I had been hoping to wish Sirius a happy birthday before I got going.'

Hermione put a gentle hand on Peter's arm and patted him. Every inch of her was focused solely on him. 'Don't worry about that Peter. He'll understand if you need to leave now.'

Peter's eyes became watery and he nodded in slow agreement. 'I … I…' He was hesitating…why was he hesitating? He worried his bottom lip between his teeth and then nodded himself into decision. 'I guess you're right.' He nodded to himself again, this time more like he was convincing himself. 'Yeah, he won't miss me. Please tell him that I wish him a good night. I'm just going to rush over to Lily and Prongs. I hope to see you soon Hermione. Goodnight!'

'Goodnight.'

She watched the blond man approach his friends and exchange a few words with them, accepting a hug from the both of them, before he was gone with a crack.

Maybe he didn't have work in the morning and was on his way to Malfoy's? Perhaps to deliver all of the information he gathered at the party. Was he knocking on the door now? Nervously greeting Malfoy and Lestrange?

Hermione allowed herself another moment to ponder on what Peter was doing before she shook her head and appreciated the departure of the traitor.

She felt a weight lift off her shoulders and sighed as though she was pushing all of the anxiety Peter's presence has evoked in her back out. Hermione had not anticipated that Peter would make a show merely because there had not been any sight of him in the pictures that Harry had inherited from his godfather which showed the informal gathering. However her question was answered now: Peter had barely stayed for longer than an hour. There was still so much of party left and strangely enough, she already guessed that it would be a lot smoother now without Sirius's primary source of anger here anymore.

Hermione decided to go looking for the man.

As she closed the door to the garden behind her, she narrowed her eyes whilst they adjusted to the darkness. There were a few floating lights but not enough to clearly make out the faint forms and shapes lying ahead.

Just as she began to doubt whether the boys were even outside, Hermione heard giggling and knew that the boys were outside for certain. She moved further into the garden towards where she remembered there being the fountain. As she got closer, she could distinguish the deer statues with the lean long forms of the two giggling men. Sirius was indeed outside with his best friend Remus Lupin, passing a cigarette back and forth and sharing whispered/giggled jokes.

But when she got even closer, her nose enlightened her to the fact that it was not a cigarette they were passing back and forth like she had first expected.

Of course they would be hiding in the garden, like a bunch of naughty school boys, sharing a joint and laughing at nothing in particular. They had not yet noticed her and with a slow-creeping smile, she realised that she could use their ignorance to her advantage, for her own amusement.

A smile flashed upon her face.

Clearing her throat loudly, Hermione made an over dramatic huffing noise and hissed in an outraged voice, 'What on _earth_ do you two think you're doing?' her voice successfully achieved an uncharacteristically high and furious tone. She saw the boys jump in alarm and the smoking joint fall to the ground.

'Lils?' Remus's shaky voice asked in a scared voice. She saw the dark haired man move behind his blond friend, like he was using Remus as a barrier.

She collapsed in laughter at their antics and stepped out so they could see her clearly. Both boys released angry huffs and puffs of air.

'Hermione,' Sirius screeched at her. He swooped to pick up the fallen joint and lit it with a click of his fingers that sparked a flame hovering over his index. 'That was very naughty of you. We were scared shitless!' He poked her in the side and she giggled an 'ow' half-heartedly.

She moved so she stood in front of the both of them and tutted at them with a poorly concealed grin. Sirius was still without a top but Remus was much more modest, wearing a black vest and a bandana keeping his locks out of his face. She crossed her arms over her chest and tutted much more convincingly.

'So what do you think you're doing here, smoking _that_?' she lifted her eyebrow in a disapproving manner, but it was futile.

The dark haired wizard let out a barking laugh. 'It's my birthday!' He whined at her. 'I am allowed silly treats on my birthday. Besides, it's Moony's stash so you should point that Finger of Blame at him.'

The werewolf raised his hands in mock surrender. 'I apologise if this is offending you. We can throw it away if you want…there's not much left…'

'Mooooony, there's like half of it left-'

She waved a hand in dismissal. 'Don't be silly. I was just coming out here to look for the birthday boy. I have a message from Peter…' she watched the joint pause midair as he drunkenly processed what she was saying.

'Yeah?' His voice was a low rumbling growl.

Hermione gave him an encouraging smile. 'Unfortunately he has work in a few hours so had to leave but he wishes you a great night and hopes to see you soon.'

Sirius's shoulders slumped in relief. Hermione wondered what had been racing through his head.

'Oh that sucks!' Remus cried aloud, taking the joint that was frozen in Sirius's hand and puffing it heavily. He let out an enormous cloud of smoke and the group of three watched in amazement as it formed what looked to be…a dog…a wolf…she wasn't sure… 'his work keep dragging him in at the crack of dawn. I mean it's not even one o'clock yet and he's already gone.'

She watched Remus pass the joint to his friend and Sirius take a long pull from it. He let the smoke linger in his mouth then blew out a thick hoop that engulfed the fading canine. He felt her eyes on him and turned his face to meet them. His left eye closed in a slow, deliberate wink.

That was as much answer as she could hope for in the presence of Remus.

He then held out the smoking joint to her and heaved through smoke-filled lungs, 'Would you like a hit?'

Hermione poked him hard in the chest and he let out a wail of a cry, which only lasted for a second because Remus covered his mouth hastily. 'Shut it Pads. We don't want Prongs to hear. Not whilst Moody is still here…' then as an afterthought, he said, 'Dumbledore as well.'

She giggled. 'Why can't James know what you're doing?'

The two men looked at each other and with only their eyes, seemed to communicate the synchronisation of the next sentence. After a beat, both men said 'Because Prongs is bait.'

She waited a moment longer for Sirius to exhale the gust of smoke in his lungs and pass the vessel to Remus. He clapped his hands together and looked down at her with a cheeky grin on his face. 'Now, the thing about Prongs is, whilst we love that bloke to death, he has the lowest tolerance for anything. Whether it is alcohol, cigarettes, cannabis or even sugar, he gets really affected. Like there was this time in our Second Year where we discovered the entrance to the kitchens on our way to orchestrate a prank. The prank required us to cast a Slippery Sludge at the foot on the Slytherin's portrait hole, but Filch, the caretaker had started making a habit of patrolling the Dungeons because of our pranks.'

Remus was laughing with his head thrown back and billowing smoke leaving his mouth. 'Oh yes. I remember this day. Prongs ruined the whole prank!'

The men started giggling with each other and Hermione was pleasantly surprised by how happy they seemed amidst a war. It was important to remember things like friendship and laughter in such dire times.

'How did he ruin it?'

'The bastard ate way too much sugary desserts from the house-elves. Now whilst I also did this and Pads and Wormy as well, we were not extraordinarily hyper. Like James.'

Sirius groaned. 'He was so hyper'

'What happened in the end then?'

'The bastard cast the Slippery Sludge on the Invisibility Cloak at precisely the wrong moment, and whilst Filch never saw us slip out from under the cloak, he saw the four of us in a sludge on the floor. He guessed what we were planning on doing and as a result, the grumpy bastard gave us a week's worth of detentions.'

'Nah-ah,' murmured Remus. 'I never had to do a full week because I was sick in the Hospital Wing. But the truth remains the same, that is, that Potter cannot be trusted with anything more than a broom.'

She chuckled fondly. One of the most exciting aspects of coming back in time was that Hermione knew she had so many stories to hear from the group of friends. She wondered whether they would tell her about their escapades as the Marauders of Hogwarts. She was positively excited.

'So the prank failed because James was high on sugar?'

'Because Prongs has a history of getting us in trouble.'

'Did I hear my name, or am I hallucinating?' A soft slurring voice teased from out of nowhere. There was the muted thud of the garden door closing way off into the vast blackness of the dark.

Hermione's hooded eyes flicked up to appraise Sirius and his reaction.

The moonlight had broken past the dense throng of clouds and thick branches obscuring their vision from it; and now a luminous bright silver light illuminated the dark sky. It was a week or so from being full; but she did not need the shape of the moon to tell her…just seeing Remus and his visible health was telling enough.

Sirius's reaction was just as she expected: the light of the moon made his pearly teeth glisten with a dazzling resplendence like she had never seen before. The moon also cast a glow on his cheeks, emphasising the rosy hues that had burst across his face, whilst at the same time, his long lashes cast sweeping shadows onto his sharp cheekbones. What Hermione thought she found cutest was the onyx black piercing in the shape of a star on his ear.

Smiles chased themselves across his pursed lips as James Potter clumsily staggered towards them at the pace only a drunk person could get away with.

Suddenly, James's booming laughter, which also sounded slightly slurred, ripped through the air. 'Oh boys, y-you are so selfish. Trying to have all the fun without me.'

When the bespectacled Marauder could finally make the three of them out he lumbered over to them. 'Hello again Hermione.' He chirped with a jaw-breaking grin. Then he turned very dramatically to the two men that were suddenly attached at the hip and shielding an object behind their huddle forms. Their heads were pressed tight and in synchronisation, they shook their heads, although really both their heads may as well have formed one large head with messy locks of silken hair, half golden and the other raven

'No,' replied Remus. 'We're actually just-'

'-chatting about Moody's dancing,' Sirius said with an affirmative nod. 'That's why-'

'-Hermione has come over to chat privately-'

'-to us, because you know, she-'

'Finds it absolutely-'

'Hilarious.' They sighed the last word together and Hermione found their antics to be what was truly hilarious. Their ability to finish each other's sentences was quite an art that came with a decade of being such close friends.

James on the other hand did not see even a shred of amusement in it; either he was immune or had seen this sort of behaviour too many times to be hoodwinked successfully.

'Ok,' he drawled, 'but that doesn't explain the smell.'

'What smell?' Sirius promptly shot at him. 'I can't smell anything. Can you Moony?'

'Can't smell anything Paddy.'

'Hermione?' the dark haired man turned his misty eyes to her

She shook her head and took a step back. 'No, no, don't try and involve me.'

The bespectacled man tapped his chin in thought. 'Perhaps I was imagining it.' Then a cunning smirk flickered across his face, gracing it just for a second, like lightening, before it vanished without a trace. 'I think I should get Lily just to make sure-'

'What?' The two Siamese twins hissed.

'Well you're both just being so mean! I'm starting to feel quite left out.' It was clear from his face that he did not feel left out in the slightest but nonetheless, his point still stood: either invite him into the ether of mischief or face the wrath of Lily.

'Alright, alright, you're in. Just don't get Lily,' Sirius moaned whilst Remus let out a disgruntled huff of annoyance. The werewolf mumbled an echo of the same pleading words. Sirius pulled out the joint and held it just out of James's reach. 'You can't get us caught Prongs. Not after last time with the Prewett twins.'

'I won't, I won't!'

'Don't let Lily catch on as well!' Remus emphasised this with a firm shake of his head.

'I won't, I won't!'

Whilst James and Remus chatted quietly, Sirius shifted closer to Hermione. 'How are you feeling?'

She turned to him and her face was thrown into the effulgent, ethereal moonlight, the effect casting colourful bursts of light in her direct vision, also happening to distort the way Sirius looked; darker, more brooding.

'I feel like we should chat to Dumbledore soon, before you get any more drunk or any more _stoned_.'

He barked a low, grumbling laugh and nodded. 'I agree. Besides, he does have to go back to Hogwarts at some point. Peter is gone so early on in the night that I feel back to my previous elated, silly mood. Dumbledore is incredibly perceptive so I would not have felt comfortable talking to him in the mood that I had been in earlier.'

'I understand,' she said softly, patting his arm. 'Though now with Peter gone, nothing can go wrong.'

The group of four re-entered the party hall and blasting around them was Bob Marley & the Wailers.

'Hermione and I are off to speak to Dumbles. Moony mate, can you send a patronus to the twins? It's nearly one and they're going to miss the cake if they don't hurry up.'

Remus clapped him on the back and nodded, disappearing back into the hallway, but disappearing down it rather than following it round to the garden.

'I'm going to dance with Lily but I shall see you soon.' Just when James was about to depart, his forearm was grasped by his best friend and some rushed hushed words were mumbled into his ear. 'Oh come off it Pads.' James ruffled his hair and staggered off to Lily and all the other dancing people.

Hermione stood directly opposite Sirius. 'Are you sure you have this under control?'

'I am positively certain.'

'We shall keep it vague. Perhaps you can innocuously suggest that you and I visit Hogwarts sometime soon and he could tell me a bit about the defence against the Death Eaters.'

He nodded but then his eyes dropped to her lips and a quick grin spread across his face. He rose his hand and brushed some crumbs from the corner of her mouth. 'Sausage?'

'What can I say? I ate almost a whole one in a single bite.'

He sensed her nerves and let his hand rest reassuringly on her arm. 'Everything is going fantastically Hermione.'

'I hope it can all stay that way.'

Dumbledore was sitting at a collection of sofas with Moody, McKinnon and Meadowes, Fenwick and someone Hermione had yet to be introduced to. They were playing a card game and had several bottles and glasses between them on a table. It seemed to be some variant of Exploding Snap.

'Good evening,' Sirius said with a wave at the group of people. 'I hope you are all having a splendid evening.'

'We were,' grumbled Moody. 'Then you had to come with your ugly mug and flowery chest and-'

'Then I hope the rest of you are having an enjoyable evening.' Sirius replied chirpily. 'Also Moody, there's only one flower on my chest. Hardly flowery.'

Professor Dumbledore waved his wand and another sofa appeared, smaller than any of the others, but able to cram beside the one the headmaster occupied with the Head of Aurors. 'Please sit.'

Hermione and Sirius squeezed into the small sofa together and Hermione was once more swathed in the delightful fragrance of Sirius's body, of musk and sweat and smoke. 'Would you like to play in the next round?' the old man asked.

'Perhaps after. I actually came over here with Hermione because she has heard so much about you Professor…'

'Yes,' she continued. 'I am quite honoured to meet you.'

'As am I in meeting you my dear. I have never met a British person who has attended the Evoran School of Magic. It sounds truly remarkable.'

She grinned and nodded as her body entered pilot mode and the words naturally flowed from her mouth effortlessly. 'Yes, it was certainly an experience that I am eternally grateful for. However, it highlights the fact that whilst I was enjoying education in Portugal, I remain hopelessly oblivious to the traumas going on back home.'

Dumbledore leaned back into the sofa and appraised her with piercing blue eyes, shimmering over his half-moon spectacles. 'You're talking of the coordinated attacks on Muggles?'

'You mean the attacks that the Ministry refuse to acknowledge are linked? Well of course.'

She felt Sirius shift a little closer, sending a whiff of musk and smoke to her face. The scent gave her even more courage when Sirius's arm came to rest behind her on the back of the newly conjured red sofa.

'What do you think about these attacks?'

Hermione felt Sirius's eyes boring into the side of her face. Their conversation was quiet in comparison to the quarrelling people sitting with them, especially the voices of Meadowes and Moody.

'I think it's obviously being perpetrated by the group that are calling themselves the Death Eaters. All on the orders of a fanatic narcissistic pureblood supremacist. As a Muggleborn, there is little that infuriates me more than the ridiculous notion of pureblood supremacy.'

Sirius's arm curled around her waist lightly and she knew in an instant that she had said the right thing. A sparkling quality filled Dumbledore's piercing eyes as his lips quirked to form a smile.

'My thoughts precisely.'


End file.
